‘INFIGHTING’: Buhari’s Warning Falls On Deaf Ears As Gov Bello Attacks PGF Ex-DG Lukman

President Muhammadu Buhari’s recent appeal for an end to ‘infighting’ amongst leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) appears to have fallen on deaf ears as Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, has attacked the former Director-General of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), Salihu Lukman, over recent remarks he made against him.

Lukman had accused Governor Bello and Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, of conniving with Governor Mai Mala Buni, chairman of the APC caretaker committee, to thwart the party’s plan to hold its national convention on March 26.

“There are known collaborators of His Excellency Mai Mala who have colluded with him to ensure that all attempts to organise the APC National Convention are blocked.

“Three governors who are known and must also be called upon to account for their roles in undermining decisions to organise the APC National Convention are His Excellency Yahaya Bello of Kogi State and, His Excellency Hope Uzodinma of Imo State.

“There are other party leaders, including Sen Uzo Kalu, who have actively supported His Excellency Mai Mala to undermine the decision to organise the National Convention of the party,” the former PGF DG had said in a statement.

But despite President Buhari’s warning that the APC risked self-destruction if the internal crises ravaging it are not addressed before its forthcoming national convention, Governor Bello has hit back at Lukman by referring to him as an “amateur politician”.

President Buhari had in a statement signed by him on Saturday asked leaders of the APC to stop the “name-calling and distractions” as the party prepares for the convention.

But in his response to Lukman, Governor Bello claimed that the APC chieftain has “proved himself to be a mole in APC with a mission to undermine it and ultimately hand advantage to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2023.”

Bello’s response was contained in a statement issued by the Kogi State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo.

He said, “It is unfortunate that Lukman could allow the frustration of his unceremonious and embarrassing exit as the Director-General of PGF take possession of his reasoning to the extent of accusing His Excellency, Mai Mala Buni’s APC Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) of extorting aspirants ahead of the March 26 National Convention.

“It’s more saddening that Lukman decided to expose his main fear when he unwittingly revealed that the candidate to beat in the 2023 APC primary was my principal, His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Bello. To the amateur politician, the unfounded allegations against the administration of Governor Yahaya Bello should sway the minds of Nigerians or party leaders.

“But asking the party to prevent Yahaya Bello, a leading presidential hopeful, from getting the party’s ticket, already stamps the fact that all eyes are on him to take the party to victory in the 2023 General elections, which everyone knows will be keenly contested.

“For the records, Lukman’s anti-party escapades while at the secretariat of the Progressive Governors’ Forum did not only cost him his job, but also cast more ridicule on his already battered image.”

Fanwo said his principal was not surprised at Lukman’s “recent disgraceful outburst against key party leaders”, but warned “if Lukman should allow frustration to take a total grip of his senses, then, he should be ready to face the consequences of his actions as we will not leave any stone unturned to seek redress legally. We will not watch him continue to rubbish the image of our dear party in the manner he has been doing.”