2023 Polls: How Adamu's Secretive Strategy Left APC Candidates Gasping For Funds.

By Mohammed Bello Doka

Salihu Moh. Lukman, the National Vice Chairman (North-West) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), has shed light on the leadership crisis within the party. Lukman revealed that the National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, deliberately withheld financial support from President Bola Tinubu and all party candidates leading up to the 2023 general election.

Addressing the media in Abuja, Lukman, who has been vocal in his demand for Adamu to provide a financial account of the party, expressed concern that despite the party earning over N30 billion from the sale of forms, no support was given to its candidates.

Lukman's comments came in response to interviews given by Adamu and the party's National Secretary, Senator Iyiola Omisore, in which they accused him of being insignificant and disruptive within the party.

According to Lukman, the party is required to present a proposed national budget to the National Executive Committee (NEC) for approval, as outlined in Article 13(3A)(14) of the APC constitution. He expressed disappointment upon hearing that the party's budget had purportedly been sent to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), emphasizing that NEC is the approving authority. He also highlighted the lack of transparency regarding party spending, specifically mentioning the renovation of the national secretariat.

Regarding the issue of funding, Lukman drew attention to the party's failure to provide support to its candidates during the recent elections, contrasting it with the previous practice under Comrade Adams Oshiomhole's leadership in 2019. He stressed the need for the NEC to establish a sharing formula for party finances.

Lukman also disclosed that no financial support was given to President Tinubu by the party, challenging anyone to prove otherwise. He acknowledged that during President Buhari's candidacy in 2015 and 2019, he received some level of support, mentioning the efforts made by individuals assigned to raise funds for the party.

In response to Senator Omisore's comments on internal wrangling within APC, Lukman described the party's performance in Omisore's home state of Osun as a failure. He questioned the national secretary's credibility and urged him to humbly accept the defeat suffered by the party in the state during the elections.

The Osun State chapter of the APC, through its chairman Tajudeen Lawal, refrained from taking sides in the dispute between the national chairman and Lukman. Lawal stated that they would await the NEC meeting to form a definitive stance on the matter.

Story edited using writerly editing Ai App