Why I am best candidate for APC national secretary —Shittu

A former Minister of Communications, Bayo Shittu is seeking to vie as National Secretary at the forthcoming convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC). He speaks with WALE AKINSELURE on his ambition, how the next national Chairman of the party will emerge and implications of unending crises in state chapters of the party.

 

You desire to be National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC). However, there are those who argue that you are not popular enough to attain the position you seek. Specifically, they argue that you have largely held positions by appointment not by election.

Even at age 26, I won election into the Oyo State House of Assembly. All those questioning my popularity, where were they then? Shortly after, in October 1983, I became the Honourable Commissioner for Home Affairs, Information and Culture; in 2007, I became Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice. In 2015, I also became a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. In all of these, I have not been invited on issue pertaining to competence, corruptibility. If I have an offence, it has to be because I am too principled and crooked people will not want principled people. Crooked people will not want independently minded people.

 

Most of the positions you have mentioned were attained by appointments not election?

What of the initial election into the Oyo State House of Assembly, though I did not win governorship election? In 2011, any person of intelligence will know that the Congress for Progressives Change (CPC) which was the platform for my contesting election at that time was a new party and was not as popular in Yoruba land. I was contesting against Abiola Ajimobi of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). In 2019, due to the fact that the late Ajimobi did not want to take the risk of me contesting, with the possibility of winning the election, he got me disqualified. How do you use that to judge my popularity or otherwise? Meanwhile, the National Secretaryship election is not about Oyo State alone; it is not about South West, it is a national one. I think the best thing for people who can think correctly is for them to wait and see whether I will be able to win or not. I know I have enemies out of envy, jealousy and it is because I am too straightforward, too incorruptible for crooked people to tolerate.

 

You are seeking to be national secretary of the APC yet your party at home, the Oyo APC, is divided and could mean that you may not have bloc votes from your state. Do you consider the situation of your party at home inconsequential to you achieving your national ambition?

The processes of electing national secretary is about delegates to a national conference, that is representatives from the 774 local government areas of Nigeria. Yes, people in Oyo will be participating in it, probably about 500 delegates out of more than 10,000 people. For the purpose of argument, let’s say I have zero from Oyo State, that may not conclude that I cannot win an election as National Secretary. It is not an Oyo State, Ibadan thing; it is about the entire APC of Nigeria.

 

What edge do you think you have over other contestants for position of national secretary?

I think is the good thing is that that position has been zoned specifically to Oyo State. It is Oyo State’s turn to have the National Secretary. So, candidates for that position can only come from Oyo State. Ugokwe, for instance, called me a few days ago to regret the fact that he is out of the game. All the candidates from the South-East are interested but the party machinery has resolved to reserve that position exclusively for members of the APC from Oyo State.

 

There is also the information that the National Youth Leader position has also been zoned to Oyo State. Is that information true?

Nine positions have been zoned to the South-West and we have only six states. This means that it is likely that one or two of these states will have more than one position. What I know is that Oyo is getting position of national secretary. I do not know about that of national youth leader.

 

In your consultations with stakeholders, delegates for your ambition, what are your selling points to them?

Of all the candidates, you will agree with me that having a lawyer in such a critical position will be an advantage in the sense that he knows the law and knows how to maneuver to ensure compliance with the laws and regulations. I am the only candidate who has been a member of the House of Assembly, two-term Commissioner and a Minister. No other person has that combination. Also, I am a foundation member of APC, particularly, with regards of its formation. I was a member of the merger committee which gave birth to the APC. In terms of advocacy, critical participation at the political level, I am the only one who has been in politics for more than 40 years. Since 1979, I have consistently been in politics with various experiences. All of these experiences cannot be acquired from the market place. I am more than a national person. I relate with people all over the country; I am not just a local champion. I can assure you that a lot of people across the country appreciate these unique attributes.

 

There is a lot of hide and seek regarding who becomes national chairman of your party. Among several modalities, what will count, at the end of the day, in who becomes national chairman?

The modalities become irrelevant in the case of the decision of the highest leadership of the party that they are conceding the choice to Mr President as leader of our party. So, when the leader of the party makes up his mind, whatever he decides, will be.

 

Some stakeholders are of the view that former members of the National Working Committee (NWC) should not be re-elected as national officers of the party. Do you share this view?

The constitution does not prescribe that and what is not the law cannot be imposed on members.

 

You have heard from stakeholders, power blocs reasons for crisis in state chapters of your party. What would you identify as the most fundamental problem within the party?

A lot of people get surprised that there are crises in political parties. The truth is that political parties are not like corporate entities where you have a chairman, managing director and the control is from top to down. Political parties are associations of free joiners and free comers, certainly interests may differ. There is diversity in perspectives, there is diversity in approach to issues, there is diversity in interests and everybody struggles to positions themselves or to take advantage of the situation for their personal interests. In such an environment, you will have conflict of interests. So, it is nothing strange that there are pockets of crises in the party. But, I want to assure you it is time to get up together. Processes are available for reconciliation and sorting out the challenges.

 

March 26 is a new date for the convention of your party. Don’t you fear that approaching the convention without crisis in the state chapters resolved may have great consequences for the APC?

I feel good over the new date. This convention is about Nigeria, not about states. Delegates will come from all over this country and that means that even if, for example, a quarter of states do not participate, it will not invalidate the outcome of that convention. I am confident that delegates will come from all the 36 states of the federation and we will have a successful convention.

 

Some have expressed reservations about the Mai Mala Buni-led committee alleging that Buni has his own agenda hence the several shift in convention dates. Do you have confidence in the Buni led committee?

Do we have an option? The Buni led committee is still in office. It is for them to ensure a successful execution of the national convention. We are expecting various committees to be set up very soon and they will get to work and ensure that we have a successful convention against all odds.

 

The recent timetable of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) means that presidential candidates should emerge by June. Do you consider the timetable choky and too close?

Politicians are always ready. When they start selling nomination forms, you will see a lot of people purchasing the forms.