Salihu Lukman, former National Vice Chairman (North-West) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), has reacted to the refusal of the senate to clear fomer Kaduna Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, as a minister.
According to him, high-wire politics and vicious power play were involved in El-Rufai’s non-confirmation as a ministerial nominee
Recall that while 45 other nominees were confirmed on August 7 following a week-long screening, the confirmation of former Kaduna State Governor, Stella Okotete (Delta State) and Abubakar Danladi (Taraba State) was deferred with the excuse that the trio were still undergoing security check.
Speaking on El-Rufai’s situation on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Tuesday, Lukman said: “My personal opinion is that, again, politics is being overplayed. If other nominees are cleared, I don’t see any reason why Mallam Nasir will not be cleared.
“Sincerely speaking, the earlier we reduce political considerations in terms of the determination of decisions with respect to appointments, the better for the country.”
READ ALSO: You’ve Crashed Expectations Of Party Members, Nigerians — Lukman Writes Tinubu
He further restated his criticisms of Abdullahi Ganduje’s recent emergence as the National Chairman of the ruling APC, which the party’s former vice chairman preempted with his resignation last month.
In his resignation letter dated July 26, 2023, and addressed to the then acting APC National Chairman, Abubakar Kyari, the APC stalwart explained that he would rather not become a source of distraction to the new administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He again described the Party’s decision to elect Ganduje as incorrect saying, “Dr Ganduje has emerged as the chairman of the party and I’m loyal; I respect it. But I disagree, it is not the right decision. That we’re living with a wrong decision is a different matter entirely.
“But as progressive politicians, we must have the commitment to continue to engage the issue such that we, collectively, are able to correct any wrong decision that has been taken.”
