A former National Vice Chairman, North West, of the All Progressives Congress, Salihu Moh. Lukman, has called on former President Olusegun Obasanjo; former Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida (retd); former Head of State, Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd); and another retired General, Aliyu Gusau, to rescue Nigeria from the Intensive Care Unit to which it has allegedly been taken by the President Bola Tinubu administration.
He made the appeal in an opinion article he made available to the media following a meeting the retired Generals had over the weekend.
The meeting was held in the Hilltop Mansion of General Babangida over the weekend.
Though Chief Obasanjo had told newsmen that he was in Minna to congratulate Babangida on his birthday, which he could not attend, sources told newsmen that there was indeed a meeting on the state of affairs of the country.
One of the sources revealed that the drama that surrounded the gathering and how Obasanjo got there showed there was more to it.
The source said: “Certainly others had gone before now to pay their homage to Babangida during his birthday on August 17.
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“So, why are they paying the homage again and at the same time Obasanjo showed up in the Hilltop Mansion.”
Some sources also told The Eagle Online that Obasanjo was taken to the meeting in a private jet from Benin, the Edo State capital.
One of them revealed: He was at the birthday of the Esama of Benin, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, when he suddenly left because a private jet was waiting for him at the airport to take him to Minna.
“That speaks volume.”
Writing on the meeting in the opinion article titled: “Nigerian Democracy in ICU,” Lukman said: “For instance, the political practices that are responsible for the erosion of political competition in political parties in Nigeria could be traceable to the tenure of former President Obasanjo.
“The policy of Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) under former Military President Babangida could have been the source of inspiration for President Asiwaju Tinubu’s impulsive and unplanned policies.
“Although, to be fair to former Military President Babangida, to use Chidi Amuta’s words he ‘balanced compassion and hard policy choices.’
“To the extent of contributing to get Nigeria to the current messy situation, these leaders owe a responsibility to the nation to take it out of the ICU.
“Getting Nigerian democracy out of ICU is a function of ability to revive, restore and strengthen democratic structures in the country, which is dependent on ability to create at least a functional political party that would allow for political competition within its structures and by extension in the country.
“This should not just be about identifying and promoting a candidate who will emerge as a candidate in any of the registered parties.
“Once the approach is limited to producing a candidate, the potential of falling in a legal booby trap imposed by the manipulative activities of President Asiwaju Tinubu and APC is high.
“Part of the legal booby trap is that the potential candidate may be produced by a leadership faction of political party, which will throw the party and the candidate in court cases that will undermine electoral viability.
“The other challenge is that producing a candidate may not guarantee corresponding commitment by elected leaders to honour their campaigns promises and be accountable to Nigerians.
“For elected leaders to come with corresponding commitment to honour campaign promises and be accountable to Nigerians require the existence of a strong political party whose organs will meet as prescribed by the party’s constitution.
“Above all, the profile of the leadership of the party should be at the minimum equivalent to the elected leadership of the country.
“A situation whereby party leadership are below the profile of elected leaders is injurious to Nigerian democracy and will retain it in the ICU.
“Therefore, if former President Obasanjo, former Military President Babangida, former Head of State Abdulsalam and retired General Gusau are truly committed to rescuing Nigerian democracy and get it out of ICU, they should facilitate a deeper engagement of opposition political leaders in the country.”
