A former National Vice Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Salihu Lukman, has expressed deep concern over the worsening state of living conditions in Nigeria, declaring that things have deteriorated so badly that “it’s almost legitimate to be a criminal.”
Speaking on the Sunday edition of Inside Sources with Laolu Akande on Channels Television, Lukman lamented that the nation’s leaders continue to pretend and deny the obvious, even as basic structures of governance and security crumble under mounting pressure.
“The missing link is the fact that we’ve been pretending. And we are almost in complete denial,” Lukman said. “Apart from the fact that the conditions of living have deteriorated to the point where it’s legitimate to be a criminal, there are also issues surrounding the structures of government—structures of security, law enforcement agencies. We’ve been treating it with kid gloves.”
He criticised the National Economic Council for repeatedly shelving discussions on the creation of state police, describing it as a missed opportunity to address Nigeria’s chronic security deficits. “I acknowledge the fact that we have a deficit in terms of personnel both in the police and the military,” he added.
Lukman, a prominent figure within the APC before his resignation, admitted that he has lost hope in President Bola Tinubu’s leadership, concluding that the President is unlikely to deliver any significant progress before the end of his tenure in May 2027.
“For you to even expect something very wonderful to happen before May 2027, I will say you are a dreamer. I wish you luck in your dream, but if it happens, it will be a pleasant surprise,” he said, painting a grim picture of Nigeria’s immediate political future.
Reflecting on his earlier support for Tinubu, Lukman said he waited until July 2023 before deciding to withdraw his backing. According to him, the President has now isolated himself from the party and the Nigerian people, making it difficult even for APC insiders to access him.
He said he had expected Tinubu to correct the errors of former President Muhammadu Buhari. However, Tinubu’s failures, he noted, have ironically made Buhari appear to be a hero in hindsight.
“I was almost certain Tinubu would correct Buhari’s mistakes. Unfortunately, today, Buhari is looking better simply because of Tinubu’s failures,” Lukman said.
Turning to the future, Lukman stressed the need to rebuild a credible political movement that genuinely serves the interests of Nigerians. He warned that forming a new coalition without learning from the mistakes of the APC would only lead to another round of disillusionment.
“If after failing with the APC, we organise another coalition that becomes business as usual, we would have betrayed Nigerians again. This is why in our current engagements, we are being very deliberate and rigorous. We owe it to Nigerians. It is possible to fix this country in our lifetime,” he declared.
Lukman emphasized that the original sin of the APC was sacrificing party principles and structures for personal political ambitions, a mistake he insists must not be repeated in the coalition-building efforts currently underway.
