Uzodinma Lashes Lukman, Ex-DG Progressives Gov’s Forum; Labels Him PDP Mole

Imo State Governor, Senator  Hope Uzodinma, has lashed out at the former Director General of the Progressives Governor’s Forum, Salihu Mohammed Lukman, labeling him a mole for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, within the APC.

Lukman who inexplicably resigned as the PGF’s DG, had come down badly on some Governors, including Uzodimma, on Monday, saying they were busy struggling to be either the President or Vice President.

Stung by that unfounded allegation, Uzodimma descended on Lukman, calling him a PDP mole in words and deed.

In a statement signed on his behalf by his Media Adviser/Chief Press Secretary, Uzodinma said Lukman was going to be sacked by the PGF because of his embarrassing attitude, before he resigned on his own to save face.

Following is the full text of Governor Uzodinma’s response.

“The former Director General of the Progressives Governor’s Forum (PGF), Salihu Mohammed Lukman, has demonstrated beyond reasonable doubt that he is a People’s Democratic Party (PDP) mole in the midst of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“Lukman, who recently hurriedly resigned his appointment as DG of the PGF to avoid a pending sack over unbecoming demeanour has continued to run his mouth in ways that suggest that his sojourn in the midst of progressive politicians in APC was nothing but a design to spy on the Party in the interest of his co-conspirators in the opposition PDP. 

“On Monday, February 21, Lukman was credited by a section of media to have accused some respected APC Leaders, including Governors, of holding the Party captive and working with Governor Mai Mala Buni-led Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) against the February 26 Convention that has been postponed to March 26.

“Ordinarily, we would have ignored Lukman if he did not have the misfortune of bringing the name of Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State into the picture of his thoughtless and careless statement.

‘Interestingly, perhaps except for His  Excellency Dapo Abiodun, three of them – His Excellency Mai Mala Buni, His Excellency Yahaya Bello and His Excellency Hope Uzodimma – are all aspiring to become Presidential or Vice-Presidential candidates,’ Lukman reportedly said.

“It is obvious that Lukman had been engaged by enemies of democracy to deliberately discredit respected APC Governors and Leaders like Uzodimma just because their selfish political permutations are not working out.

“Even when Governor Uzodimma, barely two weeks ago, came out to distance himself from any Presidential contest, Lukman would deliberately overlook that to make insinuaions that were borne out of hatred for Governor Uzodimma due to the latter’s rising profile in APC and the trust his colleagues have reposed on him because of his many years of experience in politics and sincerity of purpose. 

“One would have thought that Lukman must have learnt his lesson by now given that he is still being haunted by the illogical spirit that led to his near sack in office recently. But how wrong can we possibly be!

“As an aide to the body of Governors, Lukman probably saw himself in the mould of His Excellencies and would not humble himself to take directives from his bosses in the interest of their States in particular and the Country at large.

“He was therefore, in good stead, issuing controversial statements that were not only antagonistic to the leadership of the Party he pretends to be part of but quite anti-thetical to the views of his bosses.

“Few weeks out of office, Lukman is behaving true to type – a mole planted amidst the APC top echelon to spy on them.

“Why would Lukman’s feeling about the postponement of the APC Convention be in sync with the feeling of the opposition politicians and the few APC members known for anti-party activities?

“Regardless of those Governors and CECPC Members Lukman was content discrediting, could it have been possible to move the date of the Convention without the buy-in of the leader of the Party, President Muhammadu Buhari?

“The point is that Lukman deserves our pity. He has lost touch with the current reality in politics and except he retraces his steps by committing whole-heartedly to the supremacy of the Party encapsulated in the power invested in the leadership, it would be difficult for him to deny he is not a mole in APC.”