Akpabio has reduced Nigerian Senate to parastatal – APC Chieftain, Lukman

A former National Vice Chairman, Northwest, of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Salihu Lukman, has accused the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, of reducing the Nigerian Senate to an executive parastatal of the President Bola Tinubu-led administration.`

Lukman, who has been critical of President Tinubu, made the accusation in reaction to the sack of Senator Ali Ndume from the position of Senate Chief Whip and the APC by the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) of the party.

Ndume was sacked following his criticism of the Tinubu-led administration.

On Thursday, in a statement titled; “Fanatical Mindset”, Lukman said the country has to be rescued from leaders of the ruling party who behave like officials of military tribunals and have fanatical mindsets.

Lukman argued that it was not found anywhere in the party’s constitution that the National Chairman, National Secretary, any official, or even the National Working Committee is given the powers to remove any principal officer of the National Assembly summarily.

He berated the APC Senate Caucus for permitting such an act of illegality. He added that they have set a precedent that would further erode the independence of the National Assembly.

“Already, with the way Sen. Godswill Akpabio has been conducting himself, almost reducing the Senate Chamber to the status of a parastatal of government, the action of the APC under the leadership of Dr Ganduje to direct removal of principal officers for criticising President Tinubu’s government highlights the fanatical mindset undermining Nigerian democracy.

“Any democracy that cannot accommodate criticisms is no democracy. A democracy that subverts fair hearing is a dictatorship. A democracy that permits a ruling party to demobilise its organs and inadvertently expels its members is worse than a military government. All patriotic Nigerian political leaders must unite to restore Nigeria’s democracy.

“Nigerian opposition leaders must unite to build a strong political party to rebuild Nigerian democracy. All our opposition leaders and orphaned leaders of APC must come together and unite. Sen. Ndume, the newest APC orphan, is welcome to join the efforts of political leaders in the country to restore and rebuild our democracy,” he said.

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Oluwatobi Odeyinka

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