A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Salihu Lukman, has said the absence of the late President Muhammadu Buhari will significantly impact the political dynamics of Northern Nigeria, especially as the country approaches the next general elections.
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Lukman made the statement on Wednesday during an appearance on The Morning Show, a programme aired on Arise TV.
Reflecting on Buhari’s longstanding political influence, particularly in the North, Lukman said his departure from the political scene means politicians can no longer rely on his endorsement to secure electoral victory.
“I am aware, being somebody from the North, I know that many politicians used to look forward to him raising their hands and endorsing them. That often translated into victory in many parts of the North. And in a way, that made politicians lazy,” Lukman said.
He emphasized the urgent need for politicians, especially those within the ADC-led coalition, to adopt humility, develop teamwork, and sincerely engage citizens in order to rebuild trust and win future elections.
“What we must learn, most especially in the Coalition, is that we don’t have somebody with the kind of intimidating profile like that of late President Buhari. What that means is that all the leaders of the Coalition need to be humble and acknowledge that they need one another. In that context, they must develop strong teamwork,” he stated.
According to him, the challenge is not only about defeating the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Bola Tinubu, but about offering Nigerians a credible and sustainable political alternative.
“It is not about succeeding in defeating APC and Tinubu, but succeeding in producing a new, fresh political template that will begin to meet the expectations of Nigerians,” Lukman said.
He further cautioned that without a unifying figure like Buhari, politicians must double their efforts to connect with the electorate, listen more, and keep campaign promises.
“The challenge of having somebody like the late President Buhari now absent in Nigerian politics is that politicians must realize — especially those who want to contest elections — that if they are to win, except by rigging, they must be humble and relate to citizens with a higher level of humility, rather than the current arrogance,” he warned.
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