Postmaster-General job: Adelabu never applied —Communication minister

MINISTER of Communication, Mr Adebayo Shittu, has denied preventing the immediate past Commissioner of Finance in Oyo State, Mr Zacheaus Adelabu, from clinching NIPOST Postmaster-General job.

The Federal Government, it will be recalled, announced Mr Biyi Adegbuyi from Ogun State as the new Postmaster-General, last week.

Explaining the controversy that trailed the appointment and perception in the political circles in Oyo State, Shittu said Mr Adelabu never applied, was not shortlisted or screened for the job, while he wondered how he could have denied him the job as being alleged.

The minister said it was laughable for anyone to have thought he would overrule the president’s interest in Adelabu to become the Postmaster-General, adding that Adelabu never even disclosed he was ever interested in the job with him at any point.

“NIPOST is under the supervisory authority of Ministry of Communication in which I am the minister. We sought approval of Mr President to recruit a Postmaster General who has business background and who could take NIPOST to the highest level.

“We felt we may not get all the needed materials in relying on only the NIPOST staff, so we advertised the position in three different newspapers. Fourty-nine people applied and we later shortlisted 21.

“Adelabu is my very good brother. At no point did he react to our advertisement. He never applied for the job of the postmaster-general, he was never shortlisted, he never took part in the written test nor took part in the interviews.

“So, how could he have been a candidate? Although I was told that he was promoted to becoming one, but the funny thing was that he never discussed the issue with me. It is only Mr President that has the power to appoint. Even the minister owes his office at the instance of the president.

“For anybody to think that I overturned the wish of Mr President is stupidity of the highest level and cheap blackmail,” he said.