Shittu, Oyebamiji join race for governor in Oyo, Osun
May 28, 2025 by and Toba Adedeji, Osogbo
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.
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.”
