Shittu’s petition is deeply rooted in falsehood, premised on cheap blackmail, Oyo APC replies

THE  All Progressives Congress, APC, in Oyo State has criticised the Minister of Communications, Barrister Adebayo Shittu following his recent petition against Governor Abiola Ajimobi describing it as deeply rooted in falsehood, and premised on cheap blackmail.

Also, the party noted that Barrister Shittu’s allegations in the said petition are not only baseless but equally fallacious, saying, “it is actually shocking to note that the Minister embarked on deliberate falsehood”.

Shittu, as learnt, had earlier sent a petition to President Muhammadu Buhari, the national organ of APC, its national leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, alleging that APC under Governor Abiola Ajimobi in Oyo state could affect the party’s chances of retaining the state. Justifying his claim, the minister alleged the governor’s perceived highhandedness; demolition of an ICT project being financed by him in his hometown of Saki; and the governor’s lack of purposeful leadership to unite all members of the party.

On the contrary, contained in a statement issued on Thursday and made available to Mega Icon Magazine in Ibadan by the party’s state Director of Media and Strategy, Dr Abdul-Azees Olatunde, further described the minister as a ‘political ingrate’ who detests team work, adding that his desperation for the governorship of Oyo State is driving him to work at cross purpose with the overall well-being of the party.

The statement reads, “contrary to the reckless insinuations made by the Minister, the Oyo State APC is doing extremely well.  Rather than loose any member to the opposition, the Oyo State APC under the leadership of Governor Abiola Ajimobi has been moving from strength to strength.  Barely one month ago, had the rank and file of the party membership which has continued to experience unprecedented growth and development witnessed a bumper harvest when notable political stakeholders from major opposition parties in the state declared in an open rally where they submitted themselves to the leadership of the Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi.

“We must state very clearly that the decampees include a former Governor, former Deputy Governor, former Senate Leader, serving and former members of the House of Representatives, former Senators, former Secretary to the State Government, former Senatorial candidate, former State Chairman of the PDP, former State Secretary of the PDP, former Speaker of the House of Assembly, present and past State House of Assembly members, former Commissioners and former Local Government Chairmen and several others.

“The open declaration was witnessed by some National Officers of our great party including Deputy National Chairman (South), the National Vice Chairman (North East), the National Vice Chairman (South West) and the |National Treasurer.

“It is quite saddening, highly disheartening and a monumental disservice to our party that a serving Minister of Oyo State origin will as a matter of habit stand the truth on its head and close his eyes to the reality of the rising political profile of not only our party but also of our Leader.  The fact is that his petition is rooted in falsehood and premised on cheap blackmail.

“It must be stated that while Governor Ajimobi and other leaders of our party have been working assiduously to develop our great party, Barrister Bayo Shittu in his characteristic manner has been moving from one local government to another sowing seeds of discord all in the name of his desperate and inordinate ambition to govern the State.

“Barrister Shittu was never part of the developmental process of our party.  Having lost the governorship primary election in 2015, Mr. Shittu abandoned every activity geared towards victory for the party including the Presidential Campaign.  He further took the party to court on the eve of the 2015 governorship election and was working for the opposition Accord Party where his former boss and benefactor contested the governorship election.  Today he is reaping from where he did not sow

“Mr. Shittu’s participation in the activities of our party in his Ward and Local Government is marginal.  He has consistently been antagonizing every laudable move of the party in his local government.  He has never supported the party financially and morally.  He is a monumental political failure.

“It is on record that Barrister Shittu is a political ingrate who detests team work.  His desperation for the governorship of Oyo State is driving him to work at cross – purpose with the overall well-being of APC in Oyo State”, its continued.