The Sun withdraws nomination of Oba Fredrick Akinruntan as Industrialist of The Year Awardee

The management of The Sun Publishing Limited, organisers of The Sun Awards, has announced the withdrawal of the Industrialist of the Year Award nomination for 2015 earlier bestowed on the Chairman of Obat Oil, Oba Frederick Akinruntan Obateru.
The decision, according to a statement by The Sun management, followed strident public protestation against the choice of Akinruntan and the need to protect the integrity of the awards.
Giving  insight into the withdrawal of the nomination of Oba Akinruntan  as The Sun Industrialist of the Year 2015 award winner, the statement explained that the newspaper had been inundated with petitions over the monarch’s nomination ever since it was announced.
“In order not to be drawn into the controversy and to maintain the integrity of The Sun awards, we believe the honourable thing to do at this point in time is to step down our nomination, nominee and proposed award,” the statement said.
It emphasised, “in the 13 years of our award, integrity and excellence have remained our watchword. On these, there can be no compromise.”
The prestigious awards ceremony is slated for Saturday February 20, 2016 at Eko Convention Centre, Eko Hotels & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The highpoint of the  event is the conferment of The Sun Man of the Year and Governor of the Year  awards on former  Lagos State governor and National Leader of All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, among other distinguished Nigerians in various fields of endeavours.