Former Governor of Osun State, Chief Adebisi Akande, and former Governor of Ogun State, Chief Olusegun Osoba, have reportedly advised the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, to reconsider his governorship ambition in Oyo State and align with the broader interests of the All Progressives Congress.
Their intervention followed reports that the minister had perfected plans to resign from the cabinet of President Bola Tinubu this week.
Adelabu, who ran the governorship campaign of the party in 2019 and on the platform of Accord in 2023, has not hidden his interest in contesting the 2027 election on the platform of the APC.
Recent development, however, indicated he may not be the choice of the powers-that-be in the party.
On Friday, one of the governorship aspirants being tipped as the favourite and current senator representing Oyo South Senatorial District, Sarafadeen Alli, flagged off his campaign at the Police Barracks field, Yemetu, Ibadan.
At the event were stakeholders of the party, though Adelabu, another governorship aspirant and candidate of the party in the 2023 election, Teslim Folarin, among others, were not present.
At the weekend, a group loyal to the ambition of Adelabu was seen in a viral video posted online that the minister would resign this week to pursue his governorship ambition.
President Bola Tinubu had earlier set March 31, 2026, as a deadline for any political appointee with ambition to resign.
At the close of the deadline, Adelabu, who had earlier vowed to contest the election, stating that “it’s his turn,” did not resign.
Some of the party stakeholders and supporters, however, announced he would resign this week to pursue his ambition.
A source with knowledge of the matter told The PUNCH in confidence on Sunday that the minister may resign this week.
When asked if he would contest on the platform of the APC or join another platform to pursue his ambition, a source close to the minister simply replied, “He remains in the APC.”
An impeccable source told The PUNCH that the APC South-West leaders held an interactive session with Adelabu in Lagos, where his political ambition and its implications for party cohesion and President Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid were discussed.
The source said, “I can confirm that there was indeed not really a meeting, but an interactive session with the Minister of Power over his Oyo State governorship ambition.
“The meeting was held in Lagos, and Chief Olusegun Osoba, Baba Akande and some party leaders from the South-West were in attendance.
“They urged the minister to drop his governorship ambition and align with the party’s interest and every move that can help President Bola Tinubu to return for another term.
“And the minister seems to agree with the advice of these elderly men, and everyone left on a joyous note.
“Don’t forget that this kind of move is advisory, but with the disposition of the minister at the interactive session, nothing suggests that he won’t heed this highly important, wise counsel.”
The source added that party leaders emphasised internal harmony within the APC and cautioned against actions that could destabilise existing political arrangements in the South-West ahead of the 2027 elections.
