Kayode Fayemi has sounded the alarm on the ruling All Progressives Congress. The former Ekiti governor warns the party is abandoning its core values.
Speaking on a radio programme, Fayemi said consensus politics is destroying internal democracy. He noted that the APC was built on progressive ideals and intellectual rigour.
"The party was founded on certain values and principles, but what we are seeing today is a gradual movement away from those ideals," Fayemi told the interviewer. He added that debate has virtually disappeared from party structures.
According to Fayemi, predetermined candidates weaken the party's foundations. Members should be free to contest ideas and leadership positions, he argued.
Fayemi served as mines and steel development minister under the previous administration. He's also a founding member of the APC when it emerged in 2013.
State after state has adopted consensus candidates for primary elections. This practice has sparked anger among party members who felt shut out of the process.
"When debate disappears and everyone is expected to fall in line, the foundation of democracy begins to weaken," Fayemi said during the interview. He warned that suppressing competition breeds resentment.
The APC merged four political parties to form what became Nigeria's ruling coalition. Those parties included the ACN, CPC, ANPP, and APGA factions.
Political observers see Fayemi's comments as reflecting deeper worries among party founding members. Many fear the APC has lost its ideological compass over time.
Fayemi noted that healthy political parties must welcome dissenting voices. Equal opportunities for aspirants in credible primaries matter for party survival, he stressed.
Party leaders have relied increasingly on a small circle of power brokers for decisions. Consultation with broader membership has become rare, according to Fayemi.
The APC has faced mounting criticism from opposition parties on primary conduct. Some insiders have also questioned the growing influence of political gatekeepers.
Consensus arrangements sometimes help reduce conflict, Fayemi acknowledged. But they shouldn't replace transparent and competitive elections within the party, he insisted.
Many party stakeholders now feel excluded from decision-making processes. Few influential figures now control outcomes without consulting the broader party base.
Fayemi lamented what he called the death of intellectualism in the APC. Political engagement has become transactional rather than issue-focused, he observed.
Despite his harsh critique, Fayemi believes recovery is still possible. Party leaders must return to founding principles of inclusiveness and open dialogue, he urged.
Reforms prioritising member trust remain essential, according to the former governor. Without them, divisions within the ruling party could deepen further.
Fayemi stressed that members need genuine opportunities to test their appeal through real contests. The party cannot survive if decisions remain concentrated at the top.
