Former Power Minister Adebayo Adelabu insists he remains loyal to Tinubu, accuses promoters of taking old interview out of context
Adelabu, has denied reports claiming that he called on Nigerians to reject the All Progressives Congress (APC), describing the allegation as false and a misrepresentation of his past comments.
Adelabu’s Media Office said in a statement that the report was based on a video excerpt from an interview he gave in 2022, when he was the Accord Party gubernatorial candidate in Oyo State.
The statement maintained that Adelabu neither called on Nigerians to reject the APC nor made any recent media comments to that effect.
It accused those circulating the video of attempting to damage his relationship with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and create tension between him and the APC leadership.
According to the statement, Adelabu has consistently affirmed his commitment to the APC and loyalty to Tinubu, despite disagreements surrounding the party’s governorship nomination process in Oyo State.
The former minister reportedly left public office to pursue his governorship ambition in the state, but the APC primary process was subsequently marred by controversy over the alleged imposition of a preferred aspirant and the non-release of the primary election results.
The statement said Adelabu had expressed dissatisfaction with the process while maintaining that his political ambition was not a do-or-die affair and that he had no intention of leaving the party.
“His position has been consistent: loyalty does not preclude the demand for fairness, transparency and adherence to democratic principles,” the statement said.
It explained that Adelabu’s criticism centred on the need for political parties to uphold the same standards of transparency and accountability expected of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The media office argued that his demand for internal democracy should not be interpreted as disloyalty to the APC or an attempt to undermine the party.
On the viral video, the statement said Adelabu’s 2022 comments reflected his view at the time that political parties had disappointed Nigerians and that voters should pay greater attention to the credibility and character of individual candidates.
It added that the comments were made in the context of the political environment of 2022 and were not a call to reject the APC or oppose Tinubu’s presidential ambition.
The statement further claimed that Adelabu supported Tinubu’s presidential ambition during that period despite contesting the Oyo governorship election under a different political platform.
It challenged those sharing the video to release the full, unedited interview to allow the public to assess his comments in their original context.
The media office also stated that Adelabu had not granted any media interview since the conclusion of the controversial APC governorship nomination process in Oyo State in which he made the alleged statement.
Describing the allegation as an attempt to attribute words to the former minister that he neither said nor authorised, the office urged the public, APC members and media organisations to verify information before sharing it.
On Adelabu’s relationship with Tinubu, the statement described their ties as longstanding and based on mutual respect, trust and affection, adding that the former minister had publicly likened their relationship to that of a father and son.
It insisted that the relationship remained cordial and that Adelabu had neither renounced his loyalty to the President nor called on Nigerians to reject the APC.
The statement concluded by urging the public to disregard the report and rely on authentic communications from Adelabu or his authorised representatives.
It was signed by the Media Office of Chief Adebayo A. Adelabu.
