Communications minister, Barr. Adebayo Shittu has said that he does not know why the Aseyin of Iseyin, Oba Ganiyu Adekunle Salawu, is fighting him.
This is just as the former commissioner said that he is not under any obligation to give money to the Aseyin as he does not owe him.
Shittu who spoke at an interactive session with online journalists in Ibadan, explained that “I don’t know why he is quarrelling with me. I don’t start a fight but I don’t run away from a fight if attacked. I am not a violent man. The issue is just envy.”
The duo have not been having it good in recent times. Only recently,Oba Salawu at a summit told indigenes of the Okeogun zone of the state that they should not support a stingy person and religious fanatic as governorship aspirant.
Obviously reacting to the comment by the monarch, Shittu replied that he is not stingy but cannot steal to satisfy anybody.
Recalling how their relationship might have turned sour, Shittu explained: “You see, there was a time, I think December last year, I was supposed to attend an event in Iseyin but I had to represent Mr President in Ilorin. So, on my way from Ilorin, I branched at Iseyin, the event had ended and I decided to check the Aseyin at the Palace, they said he had gone to his house and I went there to check him. When I got there, he was with two others drinking alcohol. As I got there, he got involved in physical bout with one of his aides. I did not know what caused it.
“Anyway, when I was leaving, I gave his two wives 20 thousand naira each out of the 50 thousand I had with me. It was after that he started telling people that I am stingy. And it takes a greedy person to identify a stingy person. His reported outburst that I’m stingy is a minority outburst. Our people should ignore him.
“I am not owing him. I am not obliged to give him money. The people of Oke Ogun love me. I am sure he is on his own.”
Shittu, who is a former commissioner in the state, also took a swipe at those accusing him of being a religious fanatic, describing them as shallow.
The Saki-born lawyer explained that anybody who is sure of the allegation should come forward with a proof.
According to him, “When next you are told that I am a religious fanatic, tell the person saying it to give you specific example, instance or instances. We must probe further. You cannot just accuse me of something you cannot prove.
“If you say that because I do not drink or steal government money and engage in some of your frivolous activities, then I am a fanatic, then, I do not have any apology to offer anybody. Just ask them what their problem is.
“I will say it here that I am not corrupt. If anybody has contrary opinion, he should step out. In my years in politics and holding public offices, I have never been accused of corruption. I appeal to our people to go for a religious person that is God-fearing for a change.
“Like I said, their problem is my governorship ambition and I will achieve my ambition, by the grace of God, I will be governor of Oyo State in 2019.”
