A former Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu, who is running for the position of the national secretary, has vowed not to step down.
According to a report by the PUNCH Newspaper, the former minister said this at the national convention of the All Progressives Congress in Abuja on Saturday.
Recall that the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), had asked the governors to ensure that all those seeking offices in the party should emerge via a consensus.
The governors subsequently presented ‘unity lists’ stating those who will hold each position in the party.
According to the list obtained, a former governor of Nasarawa State, Senator Abdullahi Adamu would be the national chairman of the party while former deputy governor of Osun State, Iyiola Omisore would serve as its national secretary.
Also on the list is Senator Abubakar Kyari (Borno State) who will serve as Deputy National Chairman (North) and Emma Eneukwu (Enugu) would be Deputy National Chairman (South).
But Shittu, who rejected the list, insisted that he would not withdraw from the race for the office of national secretary, insisting that consensus was at variance with democracy.
He said, “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. 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. On 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?”
