The Minister of Communications, Alhaji Adebayo Shittu, has petitioned President Muhammadu Buhari; the National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun; and a national leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, over the “unbecoming conduct” of the Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi.
In the petition dated December 18, 2017, a copy of which was obtained by our correspondent on Wednesday, the minister accused the governor of high-handedness.
Shittu said that from the information available to him, he ran into trouble with Ajimobi because he frustrated the governor’s attempt to remove unjustly the APC Chairman in the Ido Local Government Area of the state, simply identified as Pastor Akintokun.
Shittu also claimed that the governor was not happy that he accepted the chieftaincy title of Agba-Akin Afiwagboye from the Olubadan of Ibadan land.
Shittu said his problem with Ajimobi might also be connected with his (the minister’s) 2019 governorship aspiration.
He accused the governor of ordering the demolition of his Computer Based Test Centre under construction in Shaki.
He said he decided to draw the attention of the President and the national leadership of the party to the alleged manipulation of the governor to save the party from total disintegration in the state.
Shittu wrote, “I am constrained to bring to your notice the unsavoury development in our great party in Oyo State and the unbecoming behaviour of Governor Abiola Ajimobi, who is expected to provide sound moral and exemplary leadership to the citizens of our dear state.
“This line of action becomes imperative in view of the sad turn of events in the Oyo State APC.
“It is an open secret that the fortune of the APC has nose-dived in the state due to Governor Ajimobi’s undue arrogance, grandstanding, nepotism, caustic and unguarded utterances and creating unnecessary divisions among party leaders and members, thereby balkanising the party along group lines.
“Worse still, the traditional media and the social media are awash with various commentaries of the negative impact of Governor Ajimobi’s behaviour on the fortune of our party.
He added, “It is on the basis of these facts and some decisions of the Ajimobi’s government as it affects the generality of our people that I have had cause in the past to criticise him and insist that the overall interest of the APC as a political party in power should be paramount, rather than the egoistic feelings of the governor and his co-travellers.
“In doing this, I don’t have anything personal against Governor Ajimobi, but to stress the importance of him not destroying the very platform that made him governor. The signs that Ajimobi is set to destroy the party are glaring to political watchers as the voting population in the state is becoming disillusioned more than ever before.”
The minister stated that when it was clear to him that the governor was harbouring animosity against him, he called for a meeting at the Oyo State Government House, Abuja. He said that a day after the meeting, the CBT Centre which was part of the issues discussed with the governor was demolished.
When contacted on the telephone on Wednesday, the minister confirmed that he wrote the petition.
He however said he had yet to receive feedback from those he sent the petition to.
When our correspondent contacted Ajimobi’s Executive Assistant (Political), Dr. Morohunkola Thomas, on the telephone, he said the state government would react formally through a press statement that he would prepare.
However, the statement had not been issued as of the time of filing this report. – Punch.
