Former National Vice Chairman, North West of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Salihu Lukman, has called on the party’s stakeholders in Kaduna State and at the national level to address the growing tension between the current governor, Senator Uba Sani, and his predecessor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai.

The plea comes amidst escalating disputes highlighted by Governor Sani’s recent disclosures on state debts at a Town Hall meeting.

Governor Sani shocked many when he disclosed the heavy debt burden the state is shouldering, amounting to $587 million, N85 billion, and 115 contractual liabilities, allegedly accrued during El-Rufai’s tenure.

This revelation has intensified the discord within the Kaduna State APC, with Lukman expressing concern over the political climate in the state.

In his statement titled “Kaduna State Political Theatrics,” Lukman emphasized that Governor Sani should not be viewed in isolation from the actions of his predecessor, suggesting that the issues at hand are systemic and rooted in the governance style of the previous administration.

He said, “The hard truth also is that Mallam Uba was one of his strongest collaborators in Kaduna State.

‘The reality was that everything Mallam Nasir did during his eight-year tenure was endorsed and supported by Mallam Uba.

“Certainly, the decision of Mallam Nasir to anoint Mallam Uba as his successor must have been informed by the consideration of their strong personal relationship.

“That shortly after taking over, the two friends are falling apart is most unfortunate and only reminds one of what played out between Alh. Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi and Arc. Namadi Sambo between 2007 and 2010.

“These were very close friends and business partners, on account of which Alh. Makarfi anointed Arc. Sambo to emerge as his successor in 2007. Today, the relationship between the two is still very bad.

“The point is, we need to move away from noise-making to substantive issues of strengthening governance.

“Without prejudice to all the initiatives being taken by the government of Mallam Uba, the debate about the huge debt profile of Kaduna State must be about strengthening the capacity of the government to resolve the challenge.

“It is not simply about Mallam Nasir vs. Mallam Uba. Already, I have seen young people jump into the debate in a very disrespectful manner.

“We must caution that, as much as everyone is welcome to make a contribution, such contribution must be about what needs to be done to resolve the challenge, which is a function of knowledge.

“After all, we pride ourselves on Kaduna State as a centre of learning. Being a centre of learning requires that our politics be about the application of knowledge.

“My final appeal to Mallam Uba and all our leaders, both in Kaduna State and at the national level, is that we must summon the courage to admit our failure as a political party.

“Whatever could have been the shortcomings of Mallam Nasir as Governor of Kaduna State between 2015 and 2023 would have been strengthened by the absence of a strong functional party structure, which could have checked or at the very least moderated the excesses of Mallam Nasir.

“Those realities are still there today, and if allowed to continue, they could lead Mallam Uba in the wrong direction, whose implication may only become another subject of contestation between him and his successor.

“The truth is, democracy is as bad as any dictatorship so long as political parties continue to behave as shadow participants or observers in the business of governance.

“Like Mallam Nasir once thought he was incontrovertible, if care is not taken, all the current issues about Kaduna State’s huge debt profile may end up only making Mallam Uba assume a similar incontrovertible outlook.

“Praise singers must not be allowed to take over a critical debate that is about the future of the state. Such a debate must not be reduced to the political theatrics of determining the future of the state in terms of only who is right or wrong between a predecessor and successor. Such an approach only stagnated the state in the past.”

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