Salihu Lukman, a former National Vice Chairman (Northwest) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has raised concerns that the ruling party is no longer following its original progressive values.
He believes the APC is now operating more like a centrally controlled organisation.
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Friday, Lukman condemned the party for no longer allowing internal competitions, saying leaders are now chosen automatically without proper contests.
Reflecting on his role in helping to form the APC, he expressed disappointment, saying the party has strayed far from the values it was founded on.
“Right now, APC has decided there will be no internal competition in 2027. The President has already been adopted, same with the governors and lawmakers,” Lukman said.
He also criticized all political parties in Nigeria, saying they don’t function like real parties. He explained that a true political party must follow its constitution, hold regular internal meetings, and ensure its elected leaders are accountable.
Lukman revealed that plans for a new opposition alliance ahead of the 2027 elections are nearly complete. Talks have been ongoing for over a year to create a strong platform that can challenge the current political system.
“There’s nothing stopping this coalition from happening,” he said. “Even when some governors deny being part of it, many have already joined the APC or are planning to.”
He mentioned that the coalition includes members of the PDP and is working carefully to prepare for the elections. Soon, they will announce full details, including the leadership and strategy.
Lukman said the main problem with Nigerian democracy is the lack of real political parties. The new coalition plans to either form a fresh party or reform an existing one.
Their conditions include changing the leadership, reforming the party’s constitution, and making sure candidates are selected through fair and open contests.
“This coalition isn’t just about winning power,” Lukman said. “We want to fix the system. We want to give Nigerians a real choice, where leaders are chosen fairly and are answerable to their party and the people.”
