Salihu Lukman, former National Vice Chairman (North-West) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has criticized the ruling party for gradually transforming from a progressive entity into what he described as "almost a monarchy."

Speaking on Channels Television's breakfast programme, The Morning Brief, on Friday, Lukman expressed disappointment over the party's current direction, stating that it had significantly deviated from its founding principles.

"The APC has moved from a party envisioned to be progressive to almost a monarchy. As it is now, the APC mantra is that there will be no internal contest in 2027 — the President is adopted. All their governors are adopted. Legislators are also adopted," he said.

The former APC chieftain, who played a role in the formation of the party, criticized the abandonment of internal democratic processes in favor of automatic adoptions of candidates. He argued that none of Nigeria's political parties function as genuine parties in the classical sense.

"Any party whose elected representatives are not accountable is not a party in the classical sense," Lukman emphasized, adding that political organizations that fail to uphold their constitutions or conduct regular internal meetings cannot be considered true political parties.

New Opposition Alliance Taking Shape

In a significant revelation, Lukman disclosed that negotiations for a new opposition alliance ahead of the 2027 general elections are in their final stages. According to him, discussions have been ongoing for over a year to establish a viable platform capable of challenging the current political status quo.

The coalition aims to contest the 2027 elections by either forming a new political party or transforming an existing one. Lukman explained that the main crisis facing Nigeria's democracy is the absence of genuine political parties.

"Efforts are now focused on negotiating with an existing party to transform it structurally and ideologically," he stated. The conditions set by the coalition include a complete leadership overhaul, constitutional reforms, and establishing a new internal culture where candidates emerge through transparent contests.

This development comes amid reports that APC stakeholders have endorsed President Bola Tinubu as the party's candidate for the 2027 presidential election, further illustrating Lukman's concerns about the lack of internal democracy within the ruling party.