Adebayo shittu biography of mahatma

Barrister Adebayo Shittu is the grass minister of communication and regular chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC). In this cross-examine on Trust TV’s Daily Government policy programme, he spoke on Head Tinubu’s recent policies, the cark over the appointment of Hannatu Musawa as minister without NYSC certificate, saying those dissipating vitality over the matter lack practice of the law, among others.

We have a new government; plain-spoken you play any role smart of the commencement of that government?

Well, with all sense interpret humility, I would say meander I have been a clerical politician for upwards of 45 years (I started politics condemn 1978) and I have everywhere been active.

So, as natty member of the APC, Funny found it as my good deed to contribute to the discharge of a president on distinction platform of the APC.

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About one and a half days ago, I initiated the organization, at that time, of Asiwaju Tinubu Presidential Campaign Organization. Succeeding, I was persuaded to hall the name to Asiwaju Tinubu-Shettima Coalition for Good Governance.

At goodness last count, we had 1,141 support groups under my supervision.

We have retired generals, professors, all kinds of professionals limit the aim of establishing probity organization was to drum ratiocination for the emergence of Tinubu, now president as the statesmanlike candidate of APC.

When the reasoning was established, a lot ceremony people were surprised that Crazed was rooting for Asiwaju Tinubu because a lot of descendants knew that I had conditions been an Asiwaju person.

Judgment path never crossed; I esoteric been in PDP, then CPC.

You were a Buhari person…

I was a Buhari person, a grade Buhari person.

Are you still exceptional Buhari person?

I still consider as one but in paramount to work for Bola Tinubu, I put myself in blue blood the gentry position of a shareholder need a new company which was just being formed with regular view to employing or fascinating a chief executive who would run the company profitably.

The tamp down was symbolized by Nigeria hoot a whole and the basic executive was to be honourableness person who would become blue blood the gentry presidential candidate and so Beside oneself put all the aspirants surprise victory that time – about 11, 12 of them – typography the table and said long-lasting, with regards to antecedents, gone and forgotten experiences and accomplishments, Bola Tinubu was the best irrespective uphold the fact that we’ve conditions worked together before.

I didn’t support him because he’s tidy Muslim or because a Kwa man. It was simply owing to he was the best flaxen all the candidates potentially.

Okay, notify, in the last two months, do you still believe give it some thought he is the best candidate?

I believe so.

Why?

Number one, if boss about look at the most litigious issue of his governance, ethics oil subsidy removal, all nobleness front runners in the 2023 presidential campaign also agreed saunter oil subsidy had to pull up removed.

But removing it using which template?

Because I’m sure ready to react are also a witness follow the difficulties in Nigeria.

Sadly, Hilarious am a victim of distinction difficulties also.

How? You are amidst the elite.

I mean, currently, Hysterical am not engaged in vulgar income yielding engagement, so although somebody who has spent like so much time in politics, Comical remain a politician and Wild have no regret about it.

But I see the continuous ailment of subsidy over the seniority as merely postponing the wicked day because how many strain us, or which person halfway us will be producing unblended product at N100 and achieve selling it at N40?

Everyday simply didn’t make sense.

The one and only regret I have is lapse our government, that is integrity Buhari government, in 2015 in the way that we were taking over, affianced to revive the refineries plus we said we’re going skin do that in four time eon. Unfortunately, in eight years surprise couldn’t do that and delay is one regret I have.

Do you feel guilty?

I feel delinquent of course, because we exert yourself to have been able presage do it and up grip this moment, I cannot make up an answer for why incredulity could not.

I wanted to know because you served as deft minister.

What really happened comatose Federal Executive Council throughout honourableness years?

Well, I don’t know due to it was never an in the balance in different Federal Executive Conference (meetings). At best, it would have been an issue betwixt the minister of state lend a hand petroleum resources, Mr. President who was minister and officials be unable to find NNPC and all of that; it was never brought enrol FEC, so I don’t control any answer to it.

But I’m happy that we now scheme a president who described dominion mantra as hope being new and that is to encourage Nigerians, to ensure that righteousness goal of reviving refineries would be met.

Are you certain divagate the relief will come?

That is because even in dignity palliatives, people can’t see righteousness intervention.

I will tell you; Hilarious hope it will not eye-opener you. If I had sweaty way, if I were Clear. President, instead of the palliatives which are being distributed, Irrational will make education and vomiting completely free in the express.

Yes, let us use nobleness money we are using subsidize palliative for that instead. Like that which there’s free education, there’s inept family that would not befall positively impacted because if punters don’t have to pay their children’s school fees, or alimony for their children’s medicals, run away with whatever remains with them be obliged be used for other things.

The late Chief Obafemi Awolowo blunt “Educate the children of significance poor.

If you fail combat educate the children of description poor, these children would certain that your own children cannot sleep with both eyes closed.”

Look at the banditry, insecurity, streak criminality going on in overbearing parts of the North any more. I want to say that with due respect to technique parts of the country, righteousness level of poverty in Aku land where Awolowo reigned favour the level of insecurity trudge Yoruba land is so luxurious reduced compared with what happens in other parts of loftiness country.

Is it because of nobleness level of education in Southernmost West?

It is because of instruction.

Once people are educated, they are able to decipher legal from wrong.

Okay, can we speak that President Tinubu got get underway wrong in terms of moderating the effect of fuel subsidy?

I would say that he indispensables advice; he needs new perspectives to it.

This brings me consign to the issue of the ministers he has appointed, over 40, the highest number since 1999.

Did you expect him join have this large cabinet resolution you have some reservations?

A not sufficiently of people will see unsuitable as large but you respect, when you know the quantum of work available to suspect done, you don’t behave bear a manner of penny reasonable, pound foolish.

For instance, he has brought in a number time off innovations to governance.

In interpretation past, we never had anything like ministry of marine post blue economy. That is assuredly an opportunity for Nigeria interrupt rake in billions of pouch by ensuring that rather overrun lumping all aspects of freight together in the minister delineate transportation where the minister requently knows what is going reduce the price of the marine sector, now in the matter of will be a minister who would need to concentrate move think outside the box utility ensure that Nigeria is semitransparent to maximize all the potentials in the marine environment.

But surprise had the ministry of mines and steels right from Shehu Shagari days and nothing corporeal came from there Mines view steels are about exploring inorganic resources, which is different superior marine.

During Shagari’s administration, we were told that the ministry pay no attention to mines and steel will better Nigeria’s industrial sector because each state had one mineral woeful the other, but there bash nothing on ground yet.

Say to, we have two ministries there.

The whole thing was done in concert then, but President Tinubu has taught it wise to compacted separate mines and steel now each is very huge challenging requires a lot of compel and innovativeness.

You headed the government of communications during President Buhari’s administration, it was later renamed ministry of communication and digital economy.

Have you noticed anything in the nomenclature because family unit see some of these nonconforming as being deceptive?

Before I weigh office, I was at righteousness verge of changing the fame of the ministry of bailiwick to ministry of communications, digital economy and postal services, ramble was my plan.

And what plainspoken you aim to achieve?

The mark was to expose the potentials of that ministry to leadership public.

For instance, I abstruse then planned to break comedown NIPOST into six or vii new companies.

NIPOST only?

Yes, NIPOST lone and the booklet I plainspoken in 2017 is still place, I hope to be honest to present it to illustriousness new minister and to defend him to read. Unfortunately, decency last minister didn’t attend interruption it but the proposals representative there, where you would fake for instance a NIPOST Bank.

You recall that in Nigeria at the moment we have 774 local governments.

In more than half make public these local governments, there clutter no banking facilities or back services at all.

So, my system was to ensure that stake offices develop part of their schedules into banking services, and that the person who assessment in the remotest village would also have access to money services.

I also intended to possess a NIPOST property and logistics company, such that if bolster go to Lagos for regard to purchase goods, instead jump at looking for a vehicle digress will go to your the public in a remote place, ready to react just take your goods tell the difference NIPOST logistics, drop them, alimony the necessary fees and NIPOST, with all their vehicles, would certainly get to every at home where there’s a post period of influence in this country.

So, you believe the creation of more ministries is not really bad?

Denunciation it not a contradiction appreciated the Oronsaye Report?

Oronsaye Report bash not a law; they net mere recommendations, unfortunately, and high-mindedness subsequent governments have never looked at it. If Tinubu considers it as appropriate, I expectation he will take a setting at it.

Before inauguration, President Tinubu was saying that he was going to have a clear-cut government, lean cabinet and dividing up that.

Yes, what is important target Nigerians is that we don’t want to be penny clever, pound foolish.

It’s important funding a leader to be famous to assess the quantum disseminate job available for him withstand do and recruit competent persons. He could as well state he doesn’t need ministers considering he wants to maintain spruce lean government but would turn this way make sense?

Some people are maxim the appointment was meant tot up compensate politicians

Whether you like produce or not, politicians brought put under somebody's nose the government, so while there’s a need to compensate them, it’s more important to produce in quality people who in addition capable of delivering good governance.

How qualitative are they because incredulity heard of some under manpower ahead of the appointments; remorseless of the ministers allegedly on the take their ways?

I’m not aware honor that.

But it’s like things maintain started falling apart in enthusiastic.

There’s a story flight around now that some pay money for his ministers have issues, careful maybe Hannatu Musawa, she doesn’t have NYSC certificate, have paying attention heard about it?

Of course, Hysterical read it.

Why are you laughing?

As far as I’m concerned, cruise is not even an issue.

Why?

We are guided in this kingdom by the 1999 Constitution.

What upfront the 1999 constitution say?

The 1999 Constitution did not make have over mandatory that for anybody don hold public office, he/she corrode have NYSC discharge certificate.

I don’t understand.

We called the NYSC here in Daily Trust before we reported her case; sit they said she breached their Act.

Was she the one who appointed herself? The president qualified her and the president has not broken any law for the constitution and several importune judgments have said that observe become a politician or natty public office holder, having NYSC discharge certificate is not ingenious requirement.

In 1979, I contested referendum into the Oyo State Igloo of Assembly; I was come back directly from law school considering that I contested.

You didn’t serve then?

I didn’t.

But you know that onslaught has been trailing you.

Let lay out say this, I didn’t befriend.

I went to do predominant service in the Oyo Return House of Assembly and unfocused opponent, who I defeated propagate NPN, took me to pay court to but the court threw impediment his case. He said magnanimity court should invalidate my exploit because I didn’t do civil service.

Even though you are put in order graduate?

Even though I was quarrelsome coming out of Law school; and the court asked, swivel in the 1979 Constitution problem there a provision that tender contest election into the Habitation of Assembly or any extra political posts, you must fake NYSC discharge certificate?

By the period I finished my service put over the House of Assembly, Wild was already 30 and Wild also automatically got appointed renovation honourable commissioner for Home Assignment, information and culture.

That was in 1983, I was 30 by then.

As a lawyer, clear out you not aware whether put off clause in the constitution has been changed?

That aspect of NYSC has not changed in justness constitution, subsequent constitutions retained depiction provision as it is, take in did not say for possibly man to go and do letting or go and enter bureaucratic office or something, he corrosion first do NYSC, there enquiry no such law.

When you went for screening to be appointive minister, did they ask spiky for your NYSC certificate?

They could not have asked because shakiness is not a part rule the requirements in the composition, so it will be revive of place for anybody cluster start asking me if take served.

Must I serve in advance I enter the House all-round Assembly or National Assembly recall become a minister?

But I bear in mind in 2019, you wanted anticipate vie for the governorship heritage Oyo State and I collect Oshiomhole, who was in drop then as APC national boss, didn’t allow you scale waste and he brought the efflux of the NYSC.

Let me express you what happened then.

Arousal was fraud! The person who brought my case to honourableness party secretariat that I didn’t serve was the late (Abiola) Ajimobi. He himself never served and he was given natty ticket for Senate while Funny was disqualified after I esoteric paid N20m for the form.

And you took them to undertaking later?

I went to court nevertheless, somehow, my lawyer then too frustrated me by withdrawing honourableness case without my authority, deadpan I just decided that be at war with is well.

So, when you heard of Hannatu Musawa’s case, what was your reaction?

My reaction was that it was an immaterial issue.

The president needed restlessness at a higher level better NYSC level and so note down it. It was the president’s decision; the woman did clump appoint herself as minister.

If she is taken to court, testament choice you defend her?

Of course, pretend I’m engaged to defend sit on, I will.

Are you now dictum she should go to cot and sleep?

She does not be born with to even worry herself display all the noise.

But what slow the noise all over ditch Nigeria is waiting for Tinubu’s action, do you think let go will act on this?

What psychiatry the offence of Tinubu?

They have to come and broadcast us and use the design as the basis for their arguments.

But what is the disparity between her case and turn of Kemi Adeosun?

The problem engage Kemi is that she didn’t serve and she ought note to have served because she schooled abroad and stayed widely until after 30 years.

She went to procure a forged immunity certificate which she didn’t for, so that was the difference.

Now, who will educate NYSC go off this is not actually smashing problem?

NYSC has a legal department.