A Chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress in Oyo State and former Personal Assistant to the immediate ex-First Lady, Aisha Buhari, on Domestic and Social Events, Funke Adesiyan, has faulted the nomination of a former Central Bank Deputy Governor, Adebayo Adelabu, as a ministerial nominee from Oyo State.
Asesiyan who is a strong chieftain of the party from the state, described Adelabu’s appointment in a statement on Thursday, as an “insensitive and unmerited appointment.”
According to her, Adelabu does not represent a good demographic interest of the Oyo people, and as well not in the best interest of the party members.
Premium Politics earlier reported that the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio on Thursday, read the ministerial nominee list, sent to the Red Chamber by President Bola Tinubu, through his Chief of Staff, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila.
However, it was revealed while reading the list during the plenary sitting of the house, that Adelabu was among the nominated candidates in the list, and the only nominee from Oyo State.
It would be recalled that Adelabu who was the governorship candidate of the APC Oyo State in 2029, dumped the party to clinch the Accord party’s ticket, as the party’s candidate, who came third in the 2023 governorship election in Oyo State.
However, Ms Adesiyan in her statement titled, ‘Chief Bayo Adelabu as Oyo State ministerial nominee: Not in our best interest’, explained that Adelabu does not “represent a good demography of Oyo people”.
The APC chieftain said, “It is against this background that I join the entire members and party leaders of our great party, the APC in Oyo State and indeed the entire people of Oyo State to reject this insensitive and unmerited appointment.
“I make bold to say that we will not concede to delusion in the name of party loyalty and allow a man who was and is still the architect of the party’s perennial electoral misfortune in the state to clinch the highest political position available to rally the already hapless and hopeless party members in the state as a succour of last resort.”
She added, “Whilst I wish to congratulate able Nigerians who made the ministerial list presented by Mr President today, however, we the people of Oyo state reject this particular ministerial nominee and we implore our listening President to kindly reconsider this appointment.
“For equality and peaceful coexistence of all of us (Oyo, Ibadan, Ogbomosho, Oke Ogun 1 and Oke Ogun 2), both the governor and minister can not be from Ibadan as this will not just be unjust, unfair, but also a total desecration of the nation’s long-held ideals of federal character.
“As stated earlier, both the governor of our state, His Excellency, Engr. Abiodun Oluseyi Makinde and Oloye Bayo Adelabu are both Ibadan, in fact from the same Federal constituency.
“What happens to other constituencies? It is my firm belief that there is no need to further fan political discord in a state that is already heated politically.
“As a bonafide APC member, I wish to appeal to our dear father, Mr President, to kindly consider nominating a minister who is a part of our party.
“It’s a nomination, the Law allows for resubstitution before confirmation.
“We are already in the opposition in our state. Giving our ministerial slot to a member of another party is tantamount to ending the party in Oyo State.”
