ABEOKUTA — Former Minister of Communications and All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Adebayo Shittu, has officially declared his intention to contest the 2027 governorship election in Oyo State, insisting that no contender matches his experience, resources, and vision for the state.
Shittu, who made the declaration on Monday during an exclusive interview on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese-Ijebu, monitored by DAILY POST in Abeokuta, described himself as the most qualified aspirant, citing over four decades of political experience.
The Oke-Ogun-born politician began his career in 1979 when, at just 26, he was elected into the old Oyo House of Assembly. That same year, he served as Commissioner for Information, Culture, and Home Affairs, later becoming the state’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice. His most recent national role was as Minister of Communications between 2015 and 2019 under former President Muhammadu Buhari.
“As of today, I am the only one who has a manifesto of what exactly I want to do when I get to government. I am ready for government. Even if I get to government today, I already know and have a clear idea. I want to transform Oyo State like it had never happened before,” he said.
Shittu stressed that Oke-Ogun has been unfairly sidelined in Oyo’s political leadership, while Ibadan continues to dominate.
“Ibadan, over the last forty or thirty years, has produced six different governors, Ogbomosho has produced a governor, but Oke-Ogun, with ten local governments, has never had the opportunity. The thing must rotate; it cannot be Ibadan alone all the time. We are in a democracy, not in a dictatorship; enough is enough for Ibadan,” he declared.
Addressing concerns over his age, the 72-year-old politician dismissed doubts, arguing that leadership should be measured by competence, not years.
“Age is just a number. If you want to compare me, do that in terms of intelligence and dynamism. I’m as strong as, if not stronger than, anyone my age,” Shittu said confidently.
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