The Minister of Communication, Adebayo Shittu, said some cowards orchestrated the plot to disqualify him from the governorship primary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) which took place at the Lekan Salami Sports Stadium on Sunday, where a former Central Bank of Nigeria Deputy Governor, Bayo Adelabu, emerged as the party’s standard bearer in the state.
In a statement signed by the minister, he alleged that the National Working Committee of the party was wrongly advised to disqualify him for not possessing the National Youth Service Corps certificate, saying some of his political enemies who were seeking new elective positions in the state also did not serve or possess the NYSC certificate.
He said, “It is no longer news that I was purportedly disqualified from participating in the Sunday’s governorship primary of the APC in Oyo State on the baseless allegation of not possessing NYSC certificate.
“I also received the news, like any other person, with shock and disbelief having successfully gone through the screening process by the party’s Gubernatorial Screening Committee. The intent of the cowards behind the saga is becoming clearer by the day.
“On the issue of NYSC, I had made my position known and there’s no need to repeat myself but I wish to add that the position of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) is unambiguous on the qualification for participating in governorship election.
“I have forwarded an appeal for the NWC to review and reconsider the decision not to clear me. It is my prayer and hope that this appeal process would afford our leaders the rare opportunity to salvage our party from the potentially destructive precipice into which APC in Oyo State is being pushed by the political shenanigans of Governor Ajimobi and his cohorts, many of whom have also never served in the NYSC scheme but are also seeking new elective positions.”
