The National Secretary of Labour Party, Barrister Kayode Ajulo, has admonished President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress to emulate Abraham Lincoln in forming a new government.
Ajulo charged President Buhari to emulate the example of the Abraham Lincoln-led administration in the aftermath of the American civil war.
He said: “We call on President Buhari to emulate the example laid by that icon of statesmanship and democratic governance – Abraham Lincoln of the United States of America. History has it that when the war ended, Lincoln had a meeting with all the stakeholders and promised to constitute a unity government.
“The much venerated American leader followed up on his talk with the walk, drafting erstwhile opponents into key positions for the good of the nation.
“President Buhari has, in his inaugural address and subsequent speeches, stressed that the job of rebuilding Nigeria is not his alone.
“We call him to walk the talk by inviting all leaders of the four major political parties who have members who were elected into offices for consultations and cooperation on how to navigate the stormy waters in which the nation is presently anchored, the turn out of events leading to the emergence of Senator Bukola Saraki and Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara is a clear indication that APC cannot do it all alone.”
The National Secretary of the Labour Party also insisted that the President must steer clear of all attempts being made by certain power blocs within the APC to “tele-guide” his choices and decisions as regards policies that would affect the millions of Nigerians under his watch.
“Nigerians oppose any and every attempt by any cabal to hijack for themselves, the president of over 170 million Nigerians. We will not accept it. Nobody should be seen to be given the president orders in secret,” he said.
Faulting the party’s inclination to embrace the “winner takes all” position, he fingered that tendency as the underlying cause of the party’s woes.
Ajulo said: “It is very strange and un-statesmanly that up till now, the APC is yet to reach out to the leadership of other political parties who participated in the electoral process. One would have thought that in the spirit of good sportsmanship, the party would have initiated meetings with other stakeholders in the other parties to commence the great work of rebuilding Nigeria.
“It is a common proverb in the South-western part of the country that “one tree cannot constitute an entire forest”. We are beginning to think that the APC-led government is attempting the impossible and trying to single-handedly be the forest. It won’t work.”