Former National Vice Chairman (North-West) of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Salihu Mohammed Lukman, has suspended his membership of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, and the opposition coalition.
Lukman announced the decision in a message addressed to the ADC National Chairman, Senator David Mark, attributing his exit to what he described as persistent hostile treatment from former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, and his associates over the coalition’s leadership in Kaduna State.
“This may come to you as a disappointment. I am very sorry. I just can’t continue to bear the painful hostile treatment I keep getting from some leaders from Kaduna, especially Mallam Nasir,” Lukman wrote.
He alleged that decisions regarding the coalition’s leadership in Kaduna were manipulated to sideline him despite his efforts over the past year to unite opposition leaders in the state.
“For Mallam Nasir and his people, I am the problem. I have decided to resolve the problem for them and everyone,” he said.
The former APC chieftain said he suspended both his ADC and coalition memberships because it was better “to be inactive than to continue to chase dashed expectations.”
Lukman also accused some coalition leaders of abandoning the democratic ideals they once championed, alleging that former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi was engaging individuals in Kaduna with questionable commitment to building the ADC while ignoring loyal party members.
According to him, the developments had weakened his confidence in the coalition and reduced the ADC to “a marginal participant” in preparations for the 2027 general elections.
He, however, thanked Senator David Mark and other national leaders of the coalition, stressing that his decision was not directed at the party’s national leadership but at the treatment he received from El-Rufai and some coalition leaders in Kaduna.