Adebayo Shittu: I’m the most experienced Oyo governorship aspirant in APC

Adebayo Shittu, former minister of communications, says he is the most experienced governorship aspirant on the All Progressives Congress (APC) platform in Oyo state.

Shittu spoke on Wednesday during an interview on Arise TV’s Prime Time.

“I pray that God would enable me to get the party’s ticket,” he said.

“One thing which is to my advantage is the fact that of the about 10 aspirants for governorship in APC in Oyo state, I am the most senior.”

He said his political career dates back to the 1970s when he joined the group of Obafemi Awolowo, the late former premier of the western region.

“In fact, I joined in forming the then committee of friends and then the Unity Party of Nigeria, under which I contested election into the then state house of assembly and won,” he said.

“For four years, I was a member of the then state house of assembly. Thereafter, I have also been commissioner for home affairs, information and culture at age 30. That was in 1983.

“Again, I have been attorney-general of Oyo state in 2007 before becoming the honourable minister of communications. So, four different critical positions, political positions, I’ve occupied. So, I’m the most experienced of all the aspirants.”

Shittu said he also played a key role in Bola Tinubu’s election as president, adding that he coordinated a coalition of over 1,100 support groups across the country.

“There were 1,141 support groups from all over the country, which I presided over, and we were all over the country without taking a kobo from anybody,” he said.

“And consistently, I’m the most news-savvy person in regard to defending the party, APC, and defending the Bola Ahmed Tinubu government. Nobody has done that more than I have done.”

Asked if he would consider defecting to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Shittu said he was “too experienced” for such a move.

“Well, perhaps somebody must be driving them,” he said, referring to politicians who have joined the ADC.

“Something must be driving them. Somebody must be making them uneasy to stabilise in a political position.”