10th N’Assembly Leadership: Contestants Bribing APC NWC Members with Sugar, Rice, Lukman Alleges
• Decision on zoning still ongoing, he says
Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja
The National Vice-Chairman (North-west) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Salihu Lukman, has alleged that members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the ruling party are being bribed with sugar and bags of rice by aspirants contesting for leadership positions of the 10t
Lukman disclosed this during a media interaction with journalists on Thursday in Abuja, where he lamented that those aspiring for positions in the National Assembly were reaching out to members of the NWC unethically.
He was of the opinion that those who are engaged in unethical practices should be disqualified to serve as a deterrent to others.
The party chieftain noted that the leadership of the party has not taken any decision on the zoning of leadership positions in the 10th Assembly.
He confirmed that internal discussions were ongoing in that regard.
Lukman stated: “I called you because I want to appeal to our leaders and my colleagues in the NWC. We have to take every step to stop some unethical conduct in the fight.
“As things are, it is so worried that people who are aspiring for positions in the leadership of the National Assembly are reaching out to members of the NWC in an unethical way. I don’t think that is right.
“At least two senators, unfortunately from my zone (North-west), who are aspiring for the position of Senate president, have sent bags of rice and bags of sugar. Another member of the House of Representatives also from my zone, aspiring for the position of Speaker of the House, I learnt, has also sent bags of rice to individual members.
“As of today, we have not yet taken a decision on zoning for offices in the party. And I think it’s wrong for leaders at the level we are talking about to engage in unethical conduct.”
Lukman, who said he was not trying to be holier than thou, added that he shared from whatever mistakes made by the leadership of the party, being a member of the NWC.
He, however, insisted that there was a need to do everything possible to sanitise the party.
Lukman added: “I want to appeal to our party. I’ve been an advocate of having a code of conduct within the APC. It is not by accident that God bestows the responsibility of ruling this country in our hands. It is not by accident that we also find ourselves in the NWC.
“I think everything needs to be done to sanitise the party and those who are engaged in unethical conduct. If I have my way, they should be disqualified from contesting for the positions they aspire for. It’s the only way we can begin to sanitise politics in this country. And I thought I should, through you, raise this alarm and call on all those aspiring for positions of leadership in the National Assembly to please respect the party and those of us in the NWC.”
The former director general of Progressives Governors Forum (PGF) stated categorically that it was disrespectful to just think NWC members could be bribed.
According to him, “And I think our leaders, notably the chairman (Senator Abdulahi Adamu) and the National secretary (Senator Iyiola Omisore) should rise to the occasion by stopping this unethical practice because if they don’t give the permission, I don’t see why bags of rice and bags of sugar will enter the Secretariat and even get distributed to us.”
Lukman assured Nigerians that internal discussions are going on to zone the leadership positions in the National Assembly, adding that the aspirants should not jump the gun.
He said: “There are internal discussions going on and nobody should jump the gun,” adding that the inauguration of the National Assembly would only happen around the first or second week of June.
Lukman said technically, the party still have about two months between now and June, and therefore expressed confidence that the party would do the needful as regards to zoning of leadership positions in the 10th Assembly.
