All APC leaders guilty of Buhari’s failure, says party chieftain

 A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Salihu Lukman, on Friday appealed to former Governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole, to stop blaming the immediate past government of Muhammadu Buhari for the forex challenge and economic hardship plaguing the country.

 

He said all leaders of the APC, including President Bola Tinubu, were complicit in one way or the other to all the circumstances that contributed to the failure of Buhari.

 

Oshiomhole, senator representing Edo North, had claimed  when he featured as a guest on Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today’ on Sunday that Nigerians are currently suffering due to the long-term consequences of the former president’s “reckless policies.”

 

He recalled protesting some of the policies, which he claimed were designed to dehumanise a population that was already in pain.

 

Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun,  and the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, made similar observations that “President Bola Tinubu inherited an administration that was almost comatose” and “a bankrupt country.”

 

Reacting in a statement issued in Abuja titled  “APC and Question of Liability: Open Letter to APC Leaders,” Lukman stated that it would be “uncharitable and dishonest” for the former president of Nigeria Labour Congress and other loyalists to be seen making excuses for Tinubu’s government.

 

He said, “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?”