The Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu, is set to drag the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress, APC for the 2019 election in Oyo State with 13 other aspirants as President Muhammadu Buhari has given him his blessings.

The approval of the President for Shittu to contest the governorship election was relayed in a letter made available to newsman in Ibadan on Tuesday.

The letter from President Buhari is a follow up to an earlier letter of intent the minister wrote to him.

The letter dated Aug. 27, 2018, was signed by President Buhari.

The letter reads: “I have today received your letter notifying me of your intention to contest for the governorship seat of Oyo State in the 2019 general elections.

“Let me thank you on behalf of the Federal Executive Council and Nigerians for your services as minister under this administration.

“I note with passion your past contributions to our great party APC during and after the 2015 elections.

“As you are aware, I am totally committed to free and fair elections. Our policy is to support all APC candidates. I wish you well in you ambition to be governor of your state.

 

“Be rest assured that all the security agencies as well as INEC would have my full support to conduct free, fair and transparent elections in 2019”.

The minister, who has already declared his intention is from Saki and was a on e time member of the state House of Assembly, a two time commissioner and the governorship candidate of the defunct Congress for Progressives Change, CPC in Oyo State.

 

The minister, who is expected to resign his appointment soon to participate in the politics of the state, is a long time ally of President Buhari but has been having a running battle with the state governor, Abiola Ajimobi, who is expected to anoint a successor to take ov er from him.