Former Minister of Communications Adebayo Shittu has officially announced his withdrawal from active partisan politics after growing disillusioned with the recent primary process in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Zilla Naija reports.
Shittu, a founding member of the APC and veteran lawyer, said during an interview on SYMFONI that party politics has become riddled with manipulation, imposition of candidates, and a lack of internal democracy — prompting his decision to step back from the political arena.
Why He Quit: “Politics No Longer Rewarding”
Speaking candidly about his political journey, Shittu explained that recent experiences had convinced him to redirect his energy toward Islamic Dawah and religious activities, which he believes are “more rewarding spiritually and morally.”
“I am no longer interested in politics. I want to do Islamic Dawah because if you put even a quarter of the effort we invest in politics into God’s work, one will certainly be better compensated,” he said.
Shittu lamented the increasing influence of powerful individuals in party structures, alleging that outcomes in primaries are often decided before aspirants even contest. He claimed that some candidates were effectively “anointed” long before primaries took place.
“Pay ₦50 Million for Nothing?”
The former minister also raised concerns over the costs of participating in party primaries, revealing that aspirants were required to pay ₦50 million for nomination forms — even when the results were, in his view, already predetermined.
More Read
“I still thank God because I cannot imagine myself paying ₦50 million only to be told later that another person had already been anointed,” he said.
Warnings About APC’s Future
Shittu warned that the dissatisfaction generated by the party’s primary processes could lead to long‑term problems for the APC, especially with general elections approaching. He expressed concern that many aspirants could feel trapped politically because of recent changes in the law that prevent them from defecting easily after contesting primaries.
“Once you participate in the primary, you cannot go elsewhere again,” Shittu argued, referring to provisions of the amended Electoral Act.
A New Chapter Ahead
With this announcement, Shittu becomes one of the most high‑profile APC figures to step away from frontline politics amid rising criticism over internal party democracy.
