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By Lawrence Agbo
A former National Vice Chairman (North-West) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Salihu Lukman, has said Nigeria’s opposition blocs are moving towards a collegiate leadership model as part of efforts to strengthen internal party governance ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Lukman made the statement during an interview on ARISE News on Monday, explaining that the proposed system is designed to ensure that political parties function through their established organs, with clear rules that regulate the conduct of elected officials, rather than being dominated by individuals.
Reflecting on the evolution of the APC, he noted that the party came to power on the promise of change and popularised the principle of party supremacy. However, he argued that the reality today falls short of that ideal.
According to him, the APC has increasingly become a platform susceptible to the influence of powerful individuals, weakening institutional control and undermining internal democracy.
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“The opposition’s drive for a collegiate system is to ensure the party functions, and that the structures and organs of the party regulate the conduct of elected officials,” Lukman said.
He stressed that adopting a collegiate model—where leadership responsibilities are shared among a group rather than concentrated in a single figure—would promote accountability, discipline and collective decision-making within parties.
Lukman added that the initiative is also aimed at rebuilding trust in the opposition by presenting a more transparent and rule-based political structure capable of offering credible alternatives to Nigerians.
As political realignments gradually begin ahead of 2027, he maintained that strengthening party institutions would be critical to sustaining democratic governance and preventing the concentration of power in the hands of a few.
