The gubernatorial ambition of Minister of Communication, Adebayo Shittu, might have been scuttled.
This became evident Thursday night after his name was dropped from the full list of aspirants cleared to contest in 26 states by the party.
In a statement sent to DAILY POST by the party’s spokesman, Yekini Nabena, stated that Shittu was not cleared because he does not possess the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate.
The list has been endorsed by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party.
Earlier in his reaction to the scandal, Oyo-born Shittu declared that his own issue was different from that of former Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, who resigned of her NYSC certificate scandal.
According to him, whereas that of Adeosun was the presentation of a fake exemption certificate, he never obtained any certificate.
He said: “I left (University) in 1978 and left law school in 1979 and the constitution says anyone who qualifies to contest an election or who has gone through an election and wins, he is obligated to move through the House of Assembly which I did for four years, so it is a form of higher service as far as I’m concerned, and even now, I am still in service.”
On whether he agrees that he has violated the provisions of the NYSC Act, the Minister said, “I don’t see… and I’m not worried. Do you see any worry on my face? I don’t think so, except someone has a superior argument and prove it.”
Stressing that his case was not like that of Adeosun, Shittu said: “There is a world of difference. Unfortunately, Kemi had a fake certificate, I didn’t present any. I didn’t have one, I simply followed the constitutional requirement that if you are qualified to contest an election, it is compulsory for you to serve the nation in the capacity that you won an election.”