From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
Former Vice Chairman North-West of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Salihu Moh Lukman, has commended President Bola Tinubu, for suspending the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, and all activities relating to National Social Investment programmes.
President Tinubu had directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), after suspending the Minister on January 7, to “conduct a thorough investigation into all aspects of the financial transactions involving the ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, as well as one or more agencies thereunder.”
Lukman, who applauded Edu’s suspension in a statement issued in Abuja titled ‘Prebendal Politics and Crisis of Nigerian Democracy,’ noted that it was a bold move by the President which gave a notion that it would no longer be ‘business as usual.’
According to him; “the big consolation is that President Tinubu has decisively intervened, first with the suspension of the Minister, Betta Edu, then followed by suspending implementation of all social investment programmes and full-scale investigation of activities of the ministry of Humanitarian Affairs.”
“Will these produce a new beginning in the fight against corruption in the country? Or will it be another moonlighting providing escape routes for all those accused of corruption with another inconclusive outcome?
“Above all, will President Tinubu use the opportunity of this investigation to introduce deeper political reform in the country such that the orientation of APC begins to shift away from prebendal politics?
“Will such shift take APC back to its founding vision of becoming a progressive party based on which the party and all its organs are strengthened to not only become functional but also develop the capacity to regulate the conduct of public officials it produces?
“Once prebendal politics remain strong and initiatives towards making the APC becoming a progressive party are weak, the fight against corruption in the country will be weak. APC leaders must rise to this challenge and provide the required support to ensure that Nigerian democracy overcome its prebendal orientation to become both responsive and representative of the wider interests of Nigerians.
“As a party, APC must turn a new leaf in Nigerian democracy by doing everything necessary to ensure that the government of President Asiwaju Tinubu succeed. Nigerian politics must be about meeting the expectations of citizens based on which elected leaders make every sacrifice to justify the votes of Nigerians!” Lukman noted in his statement.