Salihu Lukman has confirmed his resignation as the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF)’s director-general, citing “intolerance and tyrannic” traits of the party’s leadership as the basis for his decision.

“Since the buildup to the 2019 elections, internal contests in the APC began to degenerate, while some leaders became intolerant and conducted themselves almost as tyrants,” Mr Lukman said in a statement on Wednesday.

The PGF is an umbrella body of serving governors elected on the platform of the APC.

Mr Lukman’s statement followed the announcement that the ruling party’s national convention was scheduled to hold on February 26. 

Amidst the national convention controversies, the former director-general had said the party was preparing for its doom if the event was postponed.

However, he noted that he resigned to continue his campaign to return the APC to its founding vision adding that his sudden resignation will not affect the campaign.

Noting that he restrained himself from making any public statement on the matter, Mr Lukman said since the buildup to the 2019 general elections, an internal contest in the APC began to degenerate as some of its leaders became intolerant.

He claimed that every campaign to get the party’s leadership to commence internal reform was resisted.

“Organs of the party stopped meetings as required by the constitution, views of party leaders became decisions of the party,” the APC stalwart added. “Without going into all the details, the inspiration to set up the current Caretaker and Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) came from Buhari based on the expectation of ensuring that the drift in the party is arrested. This is expected to produce a new leadership, which should emerge at the party’s National Convention.” 

He added that once the CECPC began to show signs of reluctance to organise the convention, it should be a source of concern to all party members desirous of reform.

Mr Lukman added that while it was good that the party’s CECPC had announced February 26 as the date for the convention, party leaders should ensure that those who emerged from the exercise were tolerant to criticism.

“The next task before all party leaders is to ensure the new leadership of the party to emerge from the national convention will be tolerant to criticism, democratic and more importantly share the commitments of the founding leaders to build a truly progressive party,” he urged.

(NAN)