Salisu Lukman, a former prominent chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and an ally of former Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai, has resigned from the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
In his formal resignation letter addressed to the ADC National Chairman, David Mark, Mr Lukman cited “painful, hostile treatment” by party leaders in Kaduna—specifically naming Mr El-Rufai—as the primary reason for his departure.
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Mr Lukman lamented that decisions regarding leadership representation in Kaduna were handled in a manner that “reduced [him] to the status of a bastard,” forcing him to excuse himself from the party’s activities. He stated that his vision of building the ADC into a formidable democratic alternative had diminished, accusing party leaders of prioritising personal interests over the collective goal of strengthening Nigerian democracy.
“For many coalition leaders, the objective of rescuing our democracy is just about allowing them to have their way, even when their actions reproduce the old habits that destroyed our former parties,” Mr Lukman wrote. He further warned that internal friction was significantly reducing the ADC’s prospects, potentially relegating it to a “marginal participant” in the upcoming 2027 elections.
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Additionally, Mr Lukman accused former Rivers State Governor and ADC vice-presidential candidate, Rotimi Amaechi, of bypassing established party structures in Kaduna to engage individuals with “questionable commitment”.
“Whatever he wants to do with them is certainly not about building the party into a strong democratic party, which is why the views of those of us from Kaduna do not matter. This is disrespectful, and I wish him good luck,” Mr Lukman stated.
He alleged that he was viewed as the “problem” by Mr El-Rufai and his loyalists, leading to his decision to step aside. Expressing gratitude for the opportunity to serve, he noted that his grievance was tied strictly to the “disdainful treatment” from Mr El-Rufai’s camp.
“It is better to be inactive than to continue to chase dashed expectations,” Mr Lukman added, appealing to party leadership to respect his withdrawal as he reflects on his political future.
The ADC leadership, as well as the camps of Mr El-Rufai and Mr Amaechi, have yet to respond to the resignation.
Background
Before his stint in the ADC, Mr Lukman served as the Director-General of the Progressives Governors Forum (PGF) and as the APC National Vice Chairman (North-West). Throughout his tenure, former President Muhammadu Buhari was a vocal critic of the APC’s internal democracy, clashing with former party chairmen Adams Oshiomhole and Mai-Mala Buni over the management of party organs.
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His exit from the ADC mirrors the frustrations that led to his departure from the APC, where he consistently opposed what he termed the influence of “overlords” who bypassed formal party structures to make unilateral decisions.
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