Former Minister of Communications, Barrister Adebayo Shittu on Saturday declared that the All Progressives Congress (APC) is no longer progressive under Comrade Adams Oshiomole .
Featuring on a Fresh FM 105.9 Ibadan live programme, South West Political Circuit, Barrister Shittu said retaining Oshiomole as APC National Chairman portends serious threat to the chances of the party come 2023.
NewNigeriaNewspaper quoted the former Minister as describing Oshiomole as an unjust party leader who should not be allowed to continue in office in the overall interest of the party and its members if APC is to sustain its hold at the national level as well as retain its leasership hold.
According to the former minister of communications, APC under the chairmanship of Oshiomhole as the national chairman is far from being a progressive political party as it claimed to be, but mere progressive on paper.
Alleging Oshiomole of alleged adherence to self centeredness, favouritism, nepotism contrary to what progressive party firmly stands for, Shittu said to him, the former Edo governor remained an unjust leader who gives no room for firmness and upholding of party’s constitutional provisions.
The former minister alleged further that Oshiomole as APC national chairman disqualified him to contest the Oyo state governorship election in 2019 general elections on his failure to observe the NYSC’s service programme but allowed victims of same offence who are former governor of Oyo State, Abiola Ajimobi and Dapo Abiodun to contest for Oyo South Senatorial District and Ogun State gubernatorial elections respectively.
On the purported adoption of Ajimobi as APC deputy national chairman (South), Shittu disclosed that the former governor cannot hold such an office if the party is to win any election in the South west states and beyond come 2023.
Shittu pointed out that even while in office as the governor of Oyo state “as a Constituted authority,” Ajimobi failed to win a senatorial seat and as such, having him as the APC deputy national chairman will add more to APC problem in Oyo state as well as in other South West states.
Kicking against the purported adoption of Ajimobi,Shittu said Oshiomole was only trying to impose Ajimobi on the party people, saying that the APC National Working Committee wrote a letter on 27th January, 2020 to the South West Executives of the party that the vacant position of Zonal Deputy National Chairman needed to be fixed, and that an emergency meeting was fixed and held in Lagos on 31st, January and same on 4th February where no meaningful resolutions were met on candidature of the person to fill the vacancy.
Shittu added that he was surprised to have heard Oshiomhole pronouncing that Ajimobi had been adopted since 14th January, 2020, saying, presently, the purported adoption of Ajimobi is generating controversial, acrimonious feelings and issuance of different questions from all that matter in the party across the South West geo-Political Zone.