By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan
Former Governor of Abia state, Dr Orji Kalu on Saturday alerted that the cold war between Governor Abiola Ajimobi and the Minister of Communications, Barrister Adebayo Shittu portends great danger for future of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo state.
Governor Abiola Ajimobi , his deputy, Commissioners, all the 3 serving Senators as well as notable APC leaders in Oyo state stayed away from the commissioning..
The APC Chieftain raised the alarm in Ibadan while speaking at the Commissioning of the South West office for the President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osibajo campaign office and a booklet on President Buhari’s achievement in office
He stressed that it will not be in the interest of the ruling APC in Oyo state for the governor and the Minister not to be in cordial relationship at this crucial period for the ruling party.
” I cannot understand, the Minister is very close to me and the Governor is very close to me. They are also very close to Ken Nnamani. We came here to honour both of them. I am slightly not very happy with what I have seen here that the governor is not here, the party officials are not here, the commissioners are not here, the main thing that will make APC what they supposed to be here please. They are not here.” he said.
The former governor added, “for us, we are students of preaching peace and unity. We are students, who say the truth. We are students , who are not afraid of telling people what we feel that is not right. Everybody in this hall will agree with us hat there is a break in the communication between our governor and the minister. We don’t want that to continue.”
“If anybody inside this house today in the University of Ibadan would say it is good for these two elephants to continue quarrelling, I and my senior brother would disagree that they should not be quarrelling. The Minister and the Governor should be the best of friends. And we are going to make that happen. We have already agreed with the Minister of Health, and with my brother, former Senate President, that we are going to take it upon ourselves to the highest level of this party. If both of them are quarrelling, there will be no peace and progress in this state.’
The former Abia state governor said APC as the ruling political party in the country will be “fighting a very big party, a party that knows how to do it. We don’t want to lose any vote in Oyo State. We don’t want to lose one single sympathy here.”
“I am not a man that you’ll keep inside a room, and ask not to say the truth. Everybody knows that even what people are afraid to say, I will say it because it is only the truth that can set us free. When you leave the truth, we will suffer. I have spoken to the Minister of Communication, I told him I wasn’t very happy. Immediately I came, both the Minister of Health and former senate president whispered to me that the governor is not here”.
Former Senate President, Senator Ken Nnamani while speaking said
President Buhari has demonstrated his personal integrity as an individual, saying, “it’s not something you will say is inherited. He didn’t inherit it, you have to earn it and work for it as an individual.”
“The gentlemen that invited us here, I’ve watched him from a distance, I’ve not had the privilege or opportunity of working closely with him in any shape or passion. But I’ve watched him, I’ve seen him as somebody who has great passion in what he believes in. He is an enthusiastic person in whatever he wants to do. That’s my observation and that enthusiasm is necessary if one wants to achieve something and live a legacy. I would say publicly here without any fear or favour that here in the south west as a centre of excellence in Nigeria and centre of commerce and industry. I expect that their preeminent role in politics should anchor the peace and unity.’ he said.
Senator Nnamani stressed that ” there is a need for our party APC to have internal decorum in which there is coercion and people work together.” adding that ” politics is not a game you play as an individual. “
“You have a role to be part of that team. You are not the team itself. You are part of it. Since we are here to commission the zonal office, maybe after this we will go further, but it is important to understand that we cannot achieve much as a group without unity, peace. It is so vital, not only in politics, but also in our families. We must stoope .to conquer. We are not trying to prove any point by trying to be antagonistic and run one another down.”
The former Senate President said “as members of one family must try and eschew every form of bitterness and excessive anger because nobody does any thing right if we do it in anger or bitterness. The same thing if you are speaking and you speak with anger, you are likely to say things you will regret later. “
” I’m using this occasion to appeal to all of us that to make our party great, we must come together as one. We may have different ideas but we must allow the majority rule to prevail. Remember, the new way our country is going now under President Buhari, I see our election becoming very effective and efficient. Not too long ago, there was a lecture in Anambra state. The peoples way prevailed. So the importance of getting a very god acceptable candidate is important to all political party and unity is also essential. If we have internal fighting among us, it’s going to be difficult for us to achieve our objective. We are here and we have every need to wish Honourable Minister Bayo Shittu success in his ministerial assignment and any other aspirations he has. “
The Minister of Communications, Barrister Adebayo Shittu while speaking declared that the President Buhari led APC has so far recorded tremendous achievements in the last two and half years despite efforts by the
opposition parties at runing him and his government down
“Those who should by now bury their heads in shame for running the country into trouble have now dominated the media space trying to run this government “
