BY BIMBO BALOGUN
In the annals of Nigeria public service, no name comes close to Adebayo Shittu in ineptitude and gross abuse of office. His assessment as Minister of Communication was so bad that the President couldn’t extend his stay in office when the time came for his reappointment. A man whose name is synonymous with under-performance and desperate to redeem his badly damaged name and seeking attention would do anything to remain relevant. There is nothing he wouldn’t do, including verbally attacking without decorum, an individual who has been judged by credible organisations as a successful administrator and good manager of men and resources.
His attempt to seek cheap popularity through a verbal onslaught on a former two-term Governor and a serving Senator, Ibikunle Amosun should be properly situated because Shittu is a known social climber.
Treacherous individuals are at liberty to stand the truth on its head and take words out of context, however such persons are always exposed. Adebayo Shittu was well aware of the crises in the State Chapters of All Progressive Congress (APC) including Oyo, his home State and still decided to play the ostrich. His unintelligent responses to questions on Arise TV made one of the anchors of the program, Tundun Abiola branded him “combative” and she wondered why Shittu couldn’t understand a simple word like “buoyed”. Apparently at a loss as to how to answer questions bothering on the crises rocking the chapters of APC, Shittu swerved like a car that lost control and introduced a red herring. Ogun State APC became his tool and tried to stand the truth on its head. However, what happened in Ogun State was that injustice was perpetrated and records are there for people who are sincere to verify. In 2018, some powerful individuals used the National Working Committee of the party to deny members who had won tickets their positions. These people only sought their political fortune elsewhere in the spirit of rights to freedom of association, they didn’t commit any offence.
Is it wrong for a man with a record of verifiable deliverables virtually on economic indices: Agriculture, Infrastructure, Health, Science and Technology as well as social welfare having turned around the fortunes of Ogun State under his watch as the Governor between 2011 and 2019 and won accolades within and outside the country, to express how he feels about his state? People like Shittu with failed attempts to become the gubernatorial flag bearer of a credible party let alone govern his state would want patriotic Nigerians to keep mute when Ogun State is being run down.
Unlike Shittu, Amosun is not a man that makes outlandish statements, he only responded to what an elder statesman said. In his reaction to a statement made by former Governor of Ogun State, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, Amosun simply set the records straight. Osoba, at the 50th anniversary of Abeokuta Club, had alleged that ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo rigged him out of office in 2003 and that Amosun was in cahoots. Amosun while responding to this allegation said he was not aware of the issue raised by Osoba. Amosun however told the gathering that the current Governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun, was a product of rigging in 2019. He added that those who perpetrated the act had apologised and he has forgiven them.
If people who actively participated in subversion of justice had apologised for their actions; who else, apart from a social climber like Shittu would rationalise such action?
No one is more guilty of anti-party than Shittu who not only lampooned and cursed the leadership of APC in Oyo State, but also openly worked against the flag bearer of the party Bayo Adelabu simply because he lost out. Shittu was screened out and couldn’t take part in the APC primaries in 2018 because he didn’t have an NYSC certificate. Shittu’s protracted struggle against former Governor Abiola Ajimobi for the control of the party which was widely condemned by many led to him being ostracised.
Shittu should get down from his high horse and go back home and resolve the crisis in Oyo APC first and make sure that the party wins the coming election before seeking to interfare in other states.
.Balogun, a public affairs commentator writes from Igbeba, Ijebu Ode, Ogun State.
