A former Minister of Communications during President Muhammadu Buhari’s first tenure in office and aspirant for the position of National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adebayo Shittu, has rejected the Unity List endorsed by South-West governors.
While Shittu is contesting for the position of the National Secretary of the party, the unity list from the South-West has the name of Senator Iyiola Omisore as the consensus candidate for the position.
Shittu spoke at the venue of the ongoing national convention of APC on Saturday on AriseNews and monitored by our correspondent.
He said the consensus arrangement was a violation of his rights and those of the people of Nigeria.
He ruled out stepping down for any other aspirant without an election for the position.
“For me, I will see the issue of consensus as an element of oppression against my person, against my rights and against the good people of Nigerians.
“The question of stepping down does not arise,” Shittu declared.
He said politicians only come up with the issue of consensus to cheat or violate the rights of others.
He challenged the APC to show its progressive nature by adhering to the tenets of democracy.
“People are touting the issue of consensus whenever they want to cheat on others, whenever they want to engage in dictatorship. Whenever they want to infringe on the rights of others, they import the word consensus.
“Consensus cannot be a compulsory agenda. Look at the crowd here. In what other platform can you get this type of crowd?
“Why would we then be compromising all the tenets of democracy? Why are we afraid of elections, why are we not living up to the credentials of a progressive party?
“We claim to be a progressive party, why are we not doing things differently from all other parties? Why are we not showing the light for others to follow?“ the former Minister queried.
