The ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo state has described a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Minister of Communication, Barrister Adebayo Shittu as a political parasite who has zero electoral value but was privileged to secure his last ministerial appointment largely based on personal relationship with the president.
Oyo state PDP was reacting to a statement credited to the Director-General, Asiwaju Tinubu-Shettima Coalition for Good Governance, (ATSCGG), Barrister Shittu, in some section of the media yesterday where the he made what the party tagged ‘spurious, unfounded, petty, and cheap’ allegations against Governor Seyi Makinde.
A press statement by the Publicity Secretary of PDP in Oyo state, Akeem Olatunji on Thursday March 3, advised Shittu to wake up from daydreaming as the people of the state are well aware of all the dynamics that birthed the outcome of the last national assembly election in the state.
Describing Shittu as a political parasite and liability to any political party, Oyo PDP said the former minister only enjoyed political patronage on account of personal relationship with President Buhari not on ground of political relevance stressing that despite being a minister for four years, Shittu’s me, myself, and I mentality towards politics greatly fueled his greed and covetousness making him even a worse liability to the people of Oyo state who never felt any impacts of his ministerial position.
While boasting over the three senatorial results in the last election, Shittu was also quoted as saying Govenor Makinde got the Oyo State governorship seat without the needed psychological preparation or required political experience.”
Speaking further, Shittu said “this is someone who had neither been a councillor, a commissioner, a legislator or a political executive at any
level. It was, therefore, very easy for him to prove that experience cannot be purchased from any earthly store.
“Or, how else do we explain that of all the APC elements who joined forces with him to became governor in 2019, not one of them remains with him till today.”
Olatunji said the former minister has again exposed his political ignorance and naivety with those ridiculous statements credited to him maintaining that Makinde who never held any elective office prior to becoming the governor has now become a political juggernaut and a template for good governance in Nigeria’s political landscape.
The ruling PDP reminded Shittu that last Saturday’s presidential election was a victory for Tinubu not APC and it was the ground of personality that unpopular candidates in Oyo state became beneficiaries stressing that the opposition party is no longer on ground in Oyo state after losing all serious politician in its fold to the PDP and other political parties.
Olatunji also reminded Shittu on how Makinde managed Oyo state economy amidst ravaging global pandemic as well as national economic recession and still drastically increasing the state’s internally generated revenue while meeting its financial obligations with ease without pushing additional burden on the masses.
Olatunji added that while Makinde was easily meeting his financial obligations to workers, pensioners, retirees in the state as well as providing free qualitative education alongside economic expansion, other APC controlled states, especially in the south west, have continued to struggle with simple payments of their workers salaries and other basic financial obligations.
Olatunji reiterated that Makinde’s street credibility and popularity among the electorates, students, market men and women, artisans, farmers, and grassroots politicians have increased despite the outcome of the last election because of the positive impacts of Makinde’s economic policies and programs stressing that Oyo APC stands no chance in the race to the Agodi Government House come March 11 insisting that there is no vacancy until 2027.
“Ordinarily, we would not have responded to statements credited to such an irrelevant politician as Barrister Adebayo Shittu who has not only been reputable for his media outbursts but also lacking in real time electoral value. He knows he must attack a popular politician as Governor Seyi Makinde to even have his statement news worthy so we understand his game but sadly, last election results have sent Oyo APC into the fools paradise and that’s good for us.
“We want them to continue to gloat over last Saturday’s election results and keep the thought of ‘we’re now on ground’ until we’re done with the governorship and state assembly election. The fact remains that despite APC’s performance in the last election, courtesy of the political dynamics that played out prior to Saturday, APC is no longer the main opposition party in Oyo state to even factor in as a strong contender.
“We are ready to teach them a political lesson such that a father may only tell but not show his son. Seyi Makinde is the people’s mandate so March 11 election is a contest between opposition and the good people of Oyo state. And we trust our people are more than consciously awoken to APC’s lies and failed promises and will never return to the dark era of pain, anguish, suffering, and draconian rule.” Olatunji said.
