Buhari Plots To Make Communication Minister, Adebayo Shittu, Next Oyo Governor …Alleges Source

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History seems set to be repeated in the political life of Saki, Oyo State born Barrister Adebayo Shittu, the incumbent Nigeria’s minister of Communications. Just as his name appeared on the list of prospective ministers before his eventual appointment into office, he is also being said now to be the man favoured to succeed the sitting governor of the state, Senator Isiaka Abiola Ajimobi.

However, those allegedly pushing for his crowning are Aso Rock based; the power center. Therefore, sources said he is not favoured by the home based power holders and they are even ready to give him a run for his money and foreign support.

As we gathered, Governor Ajimobi and Shittu are now on a collision course over this matter. Shittu, said to be from one of the politically maligned zones is bent on returning to the race to occupy the Agodi Government House come 2019. And Aso Rock is solidly behind his dream, said inside sources. Three factors are said to be the reason Shittu is President Muhammadu Buhari men’s favourite for the job; he is a devout Muslim, he is a member of Buhari’s political party, the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) on which platform he first contested the seat with Ajimobi of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2011, and he is a popular political figure within the Oyo power base. His campaign slogan, ‘The Bayo We Can Trust’, reportedly placed him ahead of other runners in the 2011 race except the APC’s Ajimobi who took the crown after a passionate battle.

And now that he is set to stand again for the job, sources said that the governor is still not disposed to having him succeed.

One of the signs that Ajimobi is not giving his blessings, we gathered, was the governor’s refusal to include the candidates of the minister among the newly inaugurated local government caretaker chairmen in the state. Sources said that the Oyo Government is threatened by Shittu’s perceived influence and it is bent in curbing it. Already, the constitution of the committee was said to have been generating upsets among members of the state’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

-Akin Alade