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  • Shittu, Oyebamiji join race for governor in Oyo, Osun

    Shittu, Oyebamiji join race for governor in Oyo, Osun

    • Ex-Osun Speaker Owoeye backs NIWA boss’ ambition to succeed Adeleke

    An All Progressives Congress (APC) leader in Oyo State, Adebayo Shittu, has signified his ambition to emerge as the party’s governorship candidate in the 2027 general election in the state.

    Shittu, a lawyer, affectionately known as Barrister Shittu, is a renowned philanthropist and an astute politician.  A distinguished alumnus of Obafemi Awolowo University (formerly called University of Ife), he graduated with an honours degree in Law and was called to the bar in 1979 as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

    Shittu hails from Shaki in Shaki West Local Government, Oke-Ogun area.

    He has been instrumental in driving community development initiatives, including infrastructure development, ICT skills acquisition and empowerment programmes.

    Shittu’s tenure as Minister of Communication and Digital Economy under former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration was marked by notable achievements.

    READ ALSO: Celebrating President Tinubu’s remarkable two years in office

    The Managing Director of National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Asiwaju Bola Oyebamiji, says he is the most qualified for 2026 Osun State APC governorship ticket.

    He has met a group, Osun Progressives People’s Forum (OPPF), ex-Osun State House of Assembly Speaker Timothy Owoeye, former Information Commissioner under Rauf Aregbesola, Chief Sunday Akere, Raheem Tadese (Water Resources Commissioner) and other aides of ex-governors at Tinubu/Shettima Campaign Office, Osogbo where he was endorsed.

    After the endorsement, Oyebamiji, with scores of his supporters marched to the APC Secretariat to meet the party leadership led by the state Chairman, Tajudeen Lawal, for declaration and consultation.

    Addressing reporters after meeting the party leadership, Oyebamiji said: “I am the most qualified for APC governorship ticket. I have met the leadership of our party to tell them this. I met with them to communicate my interest and receive their blessing.

    “On the agitation of Osun West to produce the next governorship candidate of our party, for equity and justice, we are appealing to our leaders to look into the senatorial district so that we can balance the equation.

    “I have reached across all the senatorial districts. I am competent because I have been in government circle of progressives for almost 15 years and I have spent 28 years in the private enterprise. With these, I have what it takes to run a good government if given the opportunity.”

    Earlier, Owoeye, who spoke on behalf of other leaders of the party, including former information commissioner, endorsed NIWA boss’ aspiration.

    Coordinator of OPPF, Wasiu Abiona, said: “We created the group three years ago with membership across the voting units. We decided to use the platform to realise his aspiration because he is the person that can make our party, APC, win the governorship seat in 2026. He is sellable to the electorate, considering his character and competence.”

  • State, LG police: What Buhari must do, by Ozekhome, Shittu

    A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chief Mike Ozekhome, and a law teacher Mr Wahab Shittu, have urged President Muhammadu Buhari to send an executive Bill to the National Assembly for the amendment of the 1999 Constitution to allow for state police.

    President Buhari received a report on the reform of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) prepared by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Presidential Special Panel on SARS Reforms.

    The report recommended, among others, the establishment of state and local government police.

    Ozekhome said: “First things first. President Buhari merely directed further action. Mr President cannot unilaterally set up state and local government police without the necessary constitutional amendments to that effect under Section 9(1) of the same 1999 Constitution.

    “This section requires two-third majority approval of the bicameral National Assembly made up of 109 Senators, 360 House of Representatives members and also two-third majority approval by the 36 Houses of Assembly and the FCT.

    “Sections 214 and 215 of the same Constitution establishes the Nigeria Police Force, giving it powers and duties and its major operatives, such as the Inspector-General of Police and State Commissioners of Police.”

    According to him, the police is a “non-performing behemoth, unwieldy and elephantine organisation” that needs to be broken up into smaller units as exists in some parts of the world.

    Shittu also faulted the current centralisation of the police. He said: “State police in the context of the peculiarities of Nigerian federation is a desideratum. This is because all offences are local and easier to police by elements familiar with the terrain.

    “The present arrangement whereby our policing is centralised may have contributed to the upsurge in the rate of criminality in our society.”

    He urged the government to take steps to amend the constitution. “Governors as chief security officers of states have no control of police in states under their control. Reference to governors as chief security officers in the context of our federation as presently constituted is indeed a mockery.

    “Police are under the control of the Inspector General (IGP) at the centre and this means our federation is in the reverse gear and a betrayal of the autonomy of states,” he said.

    He continued: “However there is no way we can have state police under the present constitutional arrangement without an amendment of the Constitution.

    “If government accepts the recommendations on state police, issues a white paper on same, government has to follow the process through by introducing an executive bill embodying the proposals to amend our constitution.

    “Can this be done? Yes. Is it desirable? Yes. lf achieved, it will go a long way in reducing the rate of criminality in our society.”

  • Shittu harps on local content drive to grow ICT sector

    The Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu, on Thursday, expressed the ministry’s readiness to partner with any group or stakeholder toward transforming the Information Communication Technology (ICT) local content for rapid development of the sector.

    The minister said this at the 2nd Annual Local Content Roundtable and Technology Fair in Abuja.

    The fair, which focused on homegrown solutions to challenges confronting the ICT sector has “The Pathway to Sustainable Digital Transformation and Economic Growth” as its theme.

    Shittu also reiterated the commitment of the ministry to initiatives that would attract local and international investments into the country, with a view to boosting development in the technology sector.

    According to him, the private sector service providers and government have critical roles to play for local content programme to succeed in Nigeria.

    He, however, said that while government would provide guaranteed order for the local products, the private sector must ensure quality services and products.

    He added that “the Ministry of Communications is committed to the implementation of the local content programme and the executive order on local content.

    “Local content does not mean excluding foreign participation in our economy. Rather, it means concerted and collaborative efforts by all players to build a strong indigenous economy.

    “For instance, the win-win formula plays out in a situation where the locally assembled computers must run on Microsoft operating
    system and Intel processors.

    “Therefore, for every locally assembled computer bought by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), Microsoft and Intel would be the key beneficiaries along with our own local original equipment manufacturers. Everyone benefits.”

    He said that the ministry would soon issue directives to encourage MDAs to use emerging technologies and other platforms, noting that

    “I am happy to report that there has been an increase in patronage of locally-assembled ICT devices and services in Nigeria since the inception of the present administration.”

    The Lead Facilitator of the fair, Mr Inye Kemabonta, emphasised the need to take advantage of the enormous potential in the country to create jobs and wealth.

    He said “Nigeria is a country with huge potential, but experts and policy makers have predicted that its development as a regional economic power, can only come from reliance on its own human and material resources.

    “Opportunities for utilising and building indigenous human and technological capacity exist in all sectors of the economy.

    “There is an urgent need therefore to take advantage of the opportunities and harness them for job and wealth creation, and for overall growth of the country.”

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event attracted a wide audience of indigenous solution providers and young innovators, as well as stakeholders in the ICT sector.

  • Why delay in criminal justice administration persists, by Shittu

    Law lecturer, Wahab Shittu has said that delay criminal justice administration persists because of deliberate abuse of the procedural tools by legal practitioners.

    He also stated that the problem in the country “is not access to justice, but exit from justice”.

    Shittu, who is of the Faculty of Law, University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, spoke at the at the 2nd Annual Colloquium of Galaxy Clique Offa in honour of the victims of April 5,  2018 Armed Robbery Attack in Offa held at Jonathan Duro  Soleye  Hall, ODU National Head-quarters, Olofa Way, Offa,  Kwara  State.

    Shittu noted: “Our civil and criminal justice systems operate at a speed chosen for the convenience of the legal practitioners and defendants, sometimes prosecutors and claimants, rather than for the convenience of the court or the ends of justice.

    “In practice, the problem is not the existence of useful procedural tools such as adjournments or preliminary objections.  The problem is the deliberate abuse of the procedural tools.It is not uncommon for legal practitioners to go to the court deliberately to seek adjournments, in some cases very late adjournments, for no particularly pressing reason.

    “There does not seem to be any limit to the number of adjournments that may be obtained.There appear to be few, if any, effective sanctions to ensure that a defendant in civil or criminal proceedings cannot delay and frustrate the proceedings”, he said.

    He also identified other problems inhibiting justice administration delivery system to have been caused largely by negative attitude of some of the practitioners and listed them to include “misuse of jurisdictional objections, misuse of interlocutory appeals, undue obsession with procedure, lack of effective case management regime, chaotic, dirty and very poorly managed court registry, negative judicial attitude, defective system for the appointment of judges, inadequate funding of courts by administrators, widespread misunderstanding of the role of courts in civil litigation and the seeming inability of the system to bring offenders to book effectively”  amongst others.

    The UNILAG law lecturer remarked that the negligence of our religious leaders in telling the truth and preaching morals in contemporary time precipitates the cold attitude of the members of the societies towards moral values.

    He lamented that the more religious Nigerians are, the more immoral they seem to become adding, “the fear of God is no longer reigning. Instead, people are now worshipping money and material things within the purview of religion. Many pastors, Imams and the traditional priests are now money conscious and no longer ready to say the truth especially when the morally perverted rich followers of theirs come to them’. He stressed that the antidote to all these moral problems is for religious leaders to cultivate the culture of an ‘Omoluabi’ and that after this, they can then pass the message across to their followers.

    Shittu emphasised that the ingredients of building a strong and united nation are clearly missing in the lives of some Nigerians.

    He said there are demonstration of negative values like intolerance, dishonesty, disobedience and other unpatriotic tendencies among the rank and file of the Nigerian citizens.

    “If Nigeria is going to continue as a single nation, the development of core values in the Nigerian citizens is an urgent task. The Nigerian leaders and followers must acquire the values that would enable them to put the interest of the nation first before those of self, social, religious, political and ethnic groupings”, he said.

    He said a lot of prayer will be needed to salvage the country and reclaim the ‘Omoluabi’ culture.

    “To reclaim our lost ‘Omoluabi’ culture, we all have work to do.  As parents, we must resolve to reenact the core family values for which the family unit thrived in the days of yore.  I refer to such values as devotion to God and prayers, the elements of respect for elders and all categories of people, virtues of honesty, integrity, hardwork, perseverance, patience, love, understanding and such other finer qualities that form the basis of healthy relationships.

    “At the school, college and University levels, our teachers and educationists must insist on core values and if necessary, we need to introduce ethics into our curriculum studies.

    “At the level of the community, traditional institutions and traditional rulers including opinion leaders must insist and regulate ethical behaviour.

    “Local government officials also have roles to play.  Governments at State and Federal levels including non-governmental organisations, local and international actors must entrench ethical and moral standards in the conduct of official business transactions.  There must be zero tolerance for corruption”, he stressed.

  • Your threat is empty, Oyo APC replies Shittu

    Oyo state chapter of the All Progressive Congress (APC), has said that instead of joining words, it has decided to ignore the utterances attributed to the Minister of Communication, Adebayo Shittu, over his decision not to support the party’s governorship candidate at the 2019 general elections.

    While addressing the press recently, Shittu said he was short-changed by the state governor, Abiola Ajimobi, and denied the party’s governorship ticket despite paying a huge amount to purchase the expression of interest form.

    Consequently, he said he would not campaign for the party’s flag bearer or work for  his success in the election.

    Reacting to Shittu’s threat, the state chapter of the APC, in a release issued by the Director of Media, Research and Strategies and Publicity Secretary, AbdulAzeez Olatunde, on Friday, described it as lacking substance and ‘an empty threat.’

    The release entitled, “Rejoinder to Barr. Adebayo Shittu’s gaffe,” challenged the minister to list his results in both 2007 and 2011 in his polling unit, ward and local government against his opponents for the public to know whether he is an asset or liability to the party.

    The statement reads in part, “All Progressive Congress, Oyo State Chapter has been watching the mouth Crossfire being emitted by our honourable Minister of Communication, Barr Adebayo Shittu, in recent times with dismay because of the following reasons:

    “The Party believed that, Barr Shittu’s contribution to the electoral victory of APC and the emergence of President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015 is not traceable beyond 30 minutes cameo appearance in the the public rally in ancient Mapo Hall, yet he is the greatest beneficiary by becoming a Minister.

    “The party challenges Barr Adebayo Shittu to list his poll results in both 2007 and 2011 in his Polling unit, Ward and Local Government against his opponents for the public to know whether you are an asset or liability to the  Party.

    “It is common knowledge that his two elections were colossal failures so this threat not to support Adelabu, lacks condiments of substance and its in fact an empty threat.

    “A translated Yoruba adage has it that: a tree which one rests upon but could not support one, if such a tree decides otherwise, it’s impact would obviously be minimally felt.

    “However, Barr Adebayo Shittu is expected to know that, Oyo state chapter of APC did not screen him as such we are aghast at his transferred aggression.

    “Honestly, as a self acclaimed Islamic cleric, we thought he would live an exemplary life and be a role model, going by Quran 3:26, where it was explicitly stated that “Allah giveth Power to whom thou pleaseth.”

  • Shittu: I won’t campaign for Oyo APC governorship candidate

    The Minister of Communication, Adebayo Shittu, has dismissed any hope of reconciliation between him and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2019 general elections.

    He said he would be “a bastard” to work and campaign for the party’s governorship candidate in Oyo State.

    Shittu, who referred to the APC National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, as “my former friend,” also said he lobbied President Muhammadu Buhari to appoint the former Edo State governor as Political Adviser, a plan he said led to his national chairmanship victory.

    The minister spoke at an interactive session with correspondents in his office in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

    He said even though Oshiomhole joined forces with others to frustrate his efforts to become the APC flag bearer in Oyo State, he would not simply stay back and campaign for the party’s candidate.

    Shittu promised to work for President Muhammadu Buhari.

    The minister said if the party was interested in reconciliation, it must first tread the path of restitution and give back what was taken from him for justice to prevail.

    Shittu, who recently closed the campaign office he opened for the President in Ibadan, dismissed insinuations that he had stopped campaigning for him.

    The minister stressed that he closed the office because he could not afford the N3 million annual rent for the three-storey building.

    When asked if he would campaign for the APC governorship candidate, he said: “I would be a bastard to be defrauded out of a primary process and simply behave as if I am a slave. It will not make sense. I have been a foundation member of the APC and twice, I aspired to be governor. In 2011, I aspired and was defeated by the incumbent.

    “In 2015, I was defrauded in the primary at that time and I challenged the process, which gave Governor Abiola Ajimobi a second term. I went to court and was still in court when my appointment as Minister came and I had to abandon that case.

    “Instead of the governor thanking his God that he was relieved of the case, he started campaigning against my confirmation by the Senate. He was blackmailing me and asking the Senate not to confirm my appointment. At the end of the day, common sense prevailed and I was confirmed.

    “Since then, he has continued to attack me because he believes, and wrongly too, that he and his cohorts cannot have a President Buhari at the Federal level and another Buhari in me at the state level. He tells people close to him that if Shittu succeeds him, he will be in jail. Why he thinks so? I simply don’t know.

    “So, the party announced that those interested in the various positions should apply and asked us to pay N22 million. They didn’t advertise any condition outside those provided for in the Nigerian Constitution. After we have paid, screened and were satisfied, the chairman of our party unilaterally and in violation of the constitution got me out of the way so that they could impose a newcomer into the system, somebody who is barely two months in APC, will be foisted on the party.

  • Ogun PDP: INEC accepts Shittu, Abati as governor, deputy candidates

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has acknowledged the nomination of Prince Leke Shittu and Dr Rueben Abati as the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) governorship and deputy governorship candidates for the 2019 election in Ogun State.

    Shittu and Abati, a former Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, were on the candidates list submitted to INEC by the Adebayo Dayo-led executive committee of Ogun PDP.

    Abati’s nomination form was received at the INEC headquarters in Abuja on October 30. It was endorsed by Mr Bashir Abubakar who endorsed his rank as an ‘SLO’.

    But Abati could not be reached for comment. He neither picked calls to his numbers, nor replied a text message by 9pm yesterday.

    The list also includes the name of ex-Ogun governor Otunba Gbenga Daniel who is contesting for the Ogun East senatorial district.

    The Dayo-led exco is backed by the lawmaker representing Ogun East Senatorial District, Senator Buruji Kashamu.

    Kashamu, in a statement to The Nation yesterday, said INEC had received and acknowledged the entire candidates list submitted by the Dayo-led exco.

    He said: “The candidates list of the Kashamu-backed Bayo Dayo exco of Ogun PDP has been received and fully acknowledged by INEC for the 2019 elections.

    “Prince Leke Shittu and Dr Rueben Abati were duly acknowledged as the Ogun PDP Governorship and Deputy Governorship candidates respectively.

    “Former Ogun State Governor Otunba Gbenga Daniel is for the Senate, Ogun East and all other candidates for the Senatorial, Federal House of Representatives and the State House of Assembly were equally accepted and duly acknowledged.”

    He urged the public to disregard any contrary information from the party.

    Kashamu said: “Any rumours being peddled around by our National Chairman and National Publicity Secretary through a purported press release should be disregarded as the duo are deliberately acting unlawfully and beyond their powers to which they have refused wise counsel to tow the path of rule of law.

    “The guarantee of our democracy under established regulations and rule of law is that no party official, no matter how highly placed could use the office for selfish preservation/promotion of his own interests and legacy at the detriment of the interests and legacy of other party members.”

    The lawmaker vowed to fully resist the unchecked impunity “in a fight to finish battle to strengthen our party’s internal democracy.”

    According to him, the PDP National Chairman, Chief Uche Secondus, was ignorant and “unaware that where there is dispute resulting in a judicial resolution as in the Ogun State matter, the State Chairman and Secretary could sign in place of National Chairman and Secretary when backed by validly subsisting court judgments.

    “Whatever makes our National Chairman to be this resolute at challenging the constituted electoral regulatory body, INEC and also dwelling in nauseating impunity against Nigerian court judgments out of unexplainable desperation to install Ladi Adebutu as PDP Ogun governorship candidate, should as well have forced him to create his own INEC and conduct elections inside his office.

    “The PDP as a Nigerian creation by law is for all Nigerians by established regulations and national statue; nobody can as such intimidate us in our democracy.”

    Kashamu urged the state elders, leaders and party faithful to continue and “remain focused on the ongoing aggressive mobilisation and reconciliation efforts for our party, PDP to come out victorious in the forthcoming elections.”

  • Court grants Shittu’s prayer to serve NYSC processes

    The Federal High Court in Ibadan, on Thursday, granted the application of the Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu, to serve originating summons on the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Abuja.

    The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that Shitts had in the last few weeks been confronted with criticisms for not observing the mandatory one-year national youth service.

    Justice P.I. Ajoku ruled that the service of the originating summons be served on the respondents through the bailiffs of the court.

    “The service of the plaintiff’s processes on the first, third and fourth defendants who are in Abuja shall be effected by the bailiffs of this honourable court,” the judge ruled.

    The judge, however, adjourned the case till Nov. 19 for report of service.

    The suit has the Director-General, NYSC; the State Coordinator, NYSC; the NYSC and the Attorney-General of the Federation as the first, second, third and fourth defendants respectively.

    Earlier, Mr Muktar Aderogba, counsel to the plaintiff, prayed the court to issue and serve the originating summons and the accompanying processes in the suit on the address of NYSC office in Abuja.

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    Aderogba added that he relied on the 12-paragraph affidavit and the written address supplied in support of his application.

    The minister is seeking the order of the court to direct the first three defendants to issue him with a certificate of national service.

    This, according to his originating summons, is based on having served the nation as a member of the House of Assembly of Oyo State between 1979 and 1983.

    Alternatively, he is praying the court to grant an order to direct the first three defendants to issue him with a certificate of exemption from the NYSC.

    This, he said, was again based on having served in an alternative capacity as a member of the Oyo state house of assembly.

  • Shittu attends FEC meeting

    The Minister of Communication, Adebayo Shittu was also among cabinet members who attended the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Wednesday.

    He arrived at the Council Chamber around 10.45a.m decked in Igbo traditional outfit of black and gold coloured ‘Ishiagu’ top with red, white and black coloured cap to match.

    Before going to his seat, he spent a lengthy time discussing with the Minister of Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu and later Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu.

    Shittu, who also attended FEC meeting last week, exchanged pleasantries with other colleagues as he made his way to his seat.

    Most of them made one remark or the other on his special outfit.

    The meeting chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari started around 11.01a.m at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abuja with the rendition of the National anthem.

    Opening Muslims prayer was said by the Minister of State for Power, Works and Housing, Mustapha Shehuri, while the Christian prayer was offered by the Minister of Sports, Solomon Dalung.

    Recall that three weeks ago, Shittu and the immediate past Minister of Women Affairs, Aisha Alhassan, were disqualified from participating in the Oyo and Taraba states governorship primary elections, respectively, under the All Progressives Congress (APC).

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    While Shittu was disqualified for not taking part in the compulsory one year National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme, Alhassan was disqualified over issues of loyalty to APC. Alhassan had immediately resigned from the cabinet.

    Shittu was also said to have failed to present any NYSC exemption certificate to the APC screening committee.

    The immediate past Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, had also resigned from the cabinet due to fake NYSC exemption certificate presented to get the job.

  • Non-participation in NYSC: Shittu seeks legal interpretation

    The Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu, on Monday filed a suit before the Federal High Court, Ibadan, seeking legal interpretation of non-participation in the one year National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the minister personally filed the suit, FHC/IB/CS/111/2018, in which the Director-General and State Co-coordinator of the NYSC were named first and second defendants respectively.

    Other mentioned as third and fourth defendants are the NYSC and the Attorney-General of the Federation respectively.

    Shittu is seeking an order of perpetual injunction restraining all the defendants from calling on him to serve in the NYSC scheme.

    Shittu also wants the court to restrain the defendants from imposing any liability on him or make him suffer any liability, be it civil or criminal, on account of his purported non-service under the NYSC scheme.

    “The plaintiff prays for an order directing the first, second and third defendants to issue the plaintiff with a certificate of national service, having served the nation as a member of the House of Assembly of Oyo State, immediately after his graduation from the Nigerian Law School.

    “Or, in the alternative, an order directing the first, second and third defendants to issue the plaintiff with a certificate of exemption from national service under the degree, having served in an alternative capacity as a member of the Oyo State House of Assembly,” he stated in his originating summons.

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    NAN recalls that the minister was recently disqualified as a governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State for failing to present an NYSC exemption or discharge certificate.

    Shittu had defended himself by saying that his service as a member of the state house of assembly should serve as his NYSC certificate.

    According to him, by the time he left office as a member of the state assembly in 1983, he had already crossed the age bar of 30 years to participate in the NYSC scheme.

    NAN reports that no date has been fixed for hearing.