Minister allegedly shuts Buhari campaign office in Ibadan

The Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu, has allegedly shut the South West campaign office for President Muhammadu Buhari and his deputy, Yemi Osinbajo, in Ibadan.

This comes on the heels of the minister’s failed bid to get the nod of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to contest the governorship election in Oyo State next year.

He was disqualified by the party’s Electoral Committee over his inability to present his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate, a decision he currently contests in court.

Only last week, a truck stormed the MBO campaign office located in the Mokola area of the ancient city, evacuating the furniture and personal belongings of the Saki-born politician to an unknown destination.

Members of staff, who were approached over the development, declined comments.

But a source close to the managers of the property said the rent expired “around September this year and we doubt if the minister was willing to renew it as he did not come again for negotiation.

“He voluntarily removed all his personal belongings.”

The spokesperson of the minister, Mr. Tajudeen Kareem, however told The Guardian that the fittings were taken away for a replacement.

He confirmed: “Yes, it is true that the furniture had been taken away but that does not suggest that the minister is closing down the office. The plan is to replace them with better ones because President Muhammadu Buhari will visit the place during campaign which commences soon.”

Reminded that the rent had allegedly elapsed since September, Kareem said: “I am not aware of that, all I can tell you is that there are plans to change the furniture for better ones befitting the status of Mr. president.”

The office was commissioned on January 20 this year, but had been deserted ever since. Even the immediate environment of the fenced two-storey building had been taken over by weeds.