Festus Adedayo, ex-aide to immediate past governor of Oyo state, Sen Abiola Ajimobi on Wednesday, commented on the controversies trailing his appointment as media aide to Ahmed Lawan, President of the Senate.
In a conversation with Premium Times, Mr. Adedayo said he did not ask for the appointment and most of those who were commenting mistook him for a politician.
He said he is still consulting with his family if he will accept the appointment.
“I have never been a politician. But if the politicians feel that it is their birthright, they can have the appointment; it is not a do or die thing for me at all. If I go there, I’m going there to serve the country,” he said.
“I have never done anything in my life other than in the media. I have been a reporter, features editor, opinion editor. The only ‘affiliate’ thing I’ve done is be a media adviser to two governors and in those respect, I did my job as a journalist and a professional.”
Mr Adedayo said although he had worked with PDP and APC governors, he had never been a card-carrying member of any political party in Nigeria.
“The Senate President, I reckon, wanted me on the basis of my professionalism but if politicians feel it is theirs for keep, so be it,” he said.
“I don’t have any apologies for the fact that I am not a politician. I never worked for any political party and I am not going to work for any political party. But I have an idea of what a good country needs. And I will always write about it all the days of my life.
“I didn’t canvass for the job. I didn’t lobby for the job. I didn’t ask for the job. If the Senate President in his wisdom felt that he needed me, so be it,” he explained. He added that should he accept the appointment, it “can never change anything.”
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, the President of the Senate forwarded names of some aides to the Clerk of the House. Mr. Adedayo’s name is missing but not sure if he has been dropped as an appointee.
