Lukman quits ADC coalition, blames El-Rufai

A key figure within the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC) coalition, Salihu Lukman, has suspended his membership, accusing former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai of orchestrating his political marginalization and hostile treatment. The move marks a significant public rift within the coalition, potentially impacting its unity ahead of the 2027 general elections.

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This may come to you as a disappointment. I am very sorry. I just can’t continue to bear the painful, hostile treatment I keep getting from some leaders from Kaduna, especially Mallam Nasir.

Lukman, who was also a former National Vice Chairman (North-West) of the All Progressives Congress, stated in a message to the ADC National Chairman, Senator David Mark, that he could no longer tolerate the sustained hostility from El-Rufai and his associates. He claimed that decisions regarding leadership representation in Kaduna State were manipulated to sideline him, leaving him feeling like an outcast within a coalition he helped build.

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For Mallam Nasir and his people, I am the problem.

Lukman asserted that he had spent over a year attempting to reconcile and unite opposition leaders in Kaduna, only to become the target of what he described as an orchestrated campaign led by El-Rufai. "For Mallam Nasir and his people, I am the problem," Lukman stated, adding that he had decided to "resolve the problem for them and everyone" by stepping back.

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I have decided to resolve the problem for them and everyone.

He announced the suspension of his membership from both the ADC and the broader coalition, preferring inactivity over chasing "dashed expectations." Lukman also questioned the coalition's commitment to democratic values, suggesting that some leaders were replicating the practices that led to the downfall of their former parties. He further alleged that former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi was engaging with individuals in Kaduna whose commitment to the ADC's growth was questionable, disregarding those who had invested in strengthening the party's structures.

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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.