Lukman to Kwankwaso, Obi: You're sacrificing Nigeria for presidential bid
…says Atiku is not unbeatable A prominent leader of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Salihu Moh. Lukman, has cautioned former Kano State Governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, against plans to exit
...says Atiku is not unbeatable
A prominent leader of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Salihu Moh. Lukman, has cautioned former Kano State Governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, against plans to exit the party, in an open letter that also referenced former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
In the letter titled “You Can’t Run Away from Yourself,” and seen in Abuja on Sunday, Lukman expressed concern over reports that Kwankwaso and Obi are exploring possible political realignments with other platforms, including the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) and the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), barely weeks after joining the ADC coalition.
Lukman, a former National Vice Chairman (North West) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and ex-Director General of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), said he was “traumatised” by what he described as a pattern of elite political inconsistency driven by personal ambition.
He accused both politicians of placing individual political interests above national considerations, warning that such tendencies undermine democratic stability.
“The signals we get is that our expectations don’t matter; what matters is your personal political ambition,” Lukman wrote, adding that he was “quite troubled” by what he described as increasing self-centred leadership among top political actors.
He further argued that at 69, Kwankwaso should prioritise legacy-building over repeated presidential ambitions, rather than focusing solely on securing a place on the 2027 ballot.
Lukman drew parallels with what he described as similar experiences during the formation of the All Progressives Congress (APC), lamenting what he termed “self-absorption” among political leaders.
Responding to speculation that Kwankwaso and Obi may be considering leaving the ADC to avoid internal primaries, particularly with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Lukman dismissed such concerns as unfounded.
He reminded Kwankwaso of his past electoral strength, referencing previous PDP and APC primaries, including instances where he placed ahead of Atiku in internal contests.
“It is on record that twice Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has contested primaries… in 2015 he came third and you came second ahead of him,” he noted.
Lukman questioned the rationale behind what he described as attempts to secure presidential tickets without going through competitive party processes, arguing that such decisions weaken leadership credibility.
The letter also detailed what Lukman described as a year-long negotiation process that led to the adoption of the ADC as a coalition platform, noting that other parties such as the SDP, Accord, and PRP were considered but faced structural and legal challenges.
He warned that the “externally influenced legal problems” cited by some actors as justification for leaving the ADC were not unique to the party and could re-emerge elsewhere.
“To argue that ADC has now been forced into externally influenced legal problems is to attempt to run away from the problem,” he stated.
As political manoeuvring intensifies ahead of the 2027 elections, Lukman called for a shift toward collective leadership and issue-based politics, rather than what he described as “narrow personal ambition.”
He concluded with a warning that further defections under such circumstances would diminish the credibility of those involved, describing it as inconsistent with the expectations of citizens facing national challenges.
