&w=64&q=75)
Salihu Lukman, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has said all the party's leaders, including President Bola Tinubu, should shoulder the blame for the failure of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Lukman made the remarks in response to the latest criticism of Buhari by the former Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.
While speaking as a guest on Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today’ on Sunday, February 11, 2024, the former Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President blamed the immediate past administration for the forex crisis and economic hardship plaguing the country.
Oshiomhole, senator representing Edo North, claimed that the current sufferings Nigerians are going through were the results of long-term consequences of the former President’s “reckless policies.”
The comrade recalled how he protested against some of the policies, which he said were designed to dehumanise a population that was already in distress.
In a similar vein, Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, also remarked that “President Bola Tinubu inherited an administration that was almost comatose” and “a bankrupt country.”
But Lukman disagreed with the submissions of the aforementioned individuals and other loyalists of President Tinubu.
He made this known in a statement in Abuja on Friday, February 16, 2024, in which he said it would be “uncharitable and dishonest” for the former Edo Governor and others to be seen making excuses for the current government.
“Sadly, instead of ruling with humility and reviewing policies when there is public outcry, they are grandstanding and giving excuses. They engage in the familiar blame games, attributing the consequences of government policies to the administration of former President Buhari. This is very uncharitable and dishonest, with due respect to our leaders.
“Certainly, the government of Buhari did not measure up to the expectations of party members and Nigerians in general. But we must take responsibility. The truth is that the success or failure of Buhari’s government represents the collective success or failure of APC as a party.
“All of us in the leadership of the APC, including Tinubu, were complicit in one way or the other to all the circumstances that contributed to the failure of Buhari.
“Unfortunately, as things are, we are also strengthening the hands of Asiwaju to continue the path of failure. Just like we deluded Buhari into believing that every decision he took was right, our leaders are today misleading Tinubu to believe that all his decisions are right. Our leaders, including Comrade Oshiomhole, want us to believe that the past administration created the problem.
“If that is the case, why were they unable as party leaders to regulate the conduct of former President Buhari and prevent him from failing? Now that President Asiwaju Tinubu is in charge, what is being done to address this challenge and ensure that he does not suffer the fate of his predecessor?” the APC chieftain said.