Adebayo Shittu has stepped away from partisan politics. The former Communications Minister cited manipulation and undemocratic practices within the APC during last month's primary elections.
Shittu told SYMFONI radio he'd rather dedicate himself to Islamic Dawah work. He believes spiritual pursuits offer deeper rewards than political ambition.
"I am no longer interested in politics," he declared during the interview. "If you channel even a quarter of political effort into God's work, the compensation is far better."
A founding member of the ruling party, Shittu blamed what he called systematic corruption of internal democratic processes. Powerful individuals, he argued, now control nominations for personal gain.
His frustration stems partly from the governorship primary outcome. Aspirants paid ₦50 million each for nomination forms, according to him.
Shittu claimed party officials pressured him to remain Pro-Chancellor of a federal university. They said President Bola Tinubu personally requested his continued service in that role.
"I believed in the arrangement and obeyed," he noted during the radio broadcast. Later, he discovered the claim was false.
The former minister alleged the primary winner had already been predetermined. Officials had essentially decided the outcome before the election even took place.
"It was much later that I discovered it had already been settled," he said. Shittu added he felt grateful he hadn't paid the ₦50 million fee.
He questioned why party leadership would demand such expensive nominations if victory was already guaranteed to someone else. The arrangement seemed deliberately deceptive to him.
"Why would people be asked to part with ₦50 million before announcing an anointed candidate?" Shittu asked. "Nobody consulted the rest of us."
Shittu warned that dissatisfaction from the primary could damage the APC's electoral prospects. Many party members remain upset about what transpired.
According to him, such practices risk creating lasting divisions within party ranks. Future election cycles could suffer as a result.
"If this type of arrangement succeeds, it will definitely affect the fortunes of the party," he stated. "Many people involved are unhappy with the situation."
Beyond the immediate primary dispute, Shittu highlighted broader concerns about Nigerian politics generally. The field demands substantial personal sacrifice and financial investment.
Yet most participants end up frustrated and empty-handed, he observed. Political struggle rarely delivers rewards commensurate with effort expended.
His decision represents a clean break from elective ambitions. Shittu now intends to invest his remaining years in religious work and Islamic propagation instead.
The lawyer believes this path offers genuine fulfillment unavailable through power struggles. His future lies in spiritual service, not political competition.
