An aide to the outgoing Minister of Power, and a leading gubernatorial aspirant of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo state in 2027 election, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, Comrade Femi Awogboro, has dismissed report saying the Minister resigned against the wish of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Awogboro stated that Adelabu actually obtained the full approval and blessing of President Tinubu before taking the decision to resign.
A statement by Awogboro explained that beyond Adelabu’s long-standing gubernatorial ambition, he had earlier demonstrated his willingness to sacrifice position for service when he voluntarily resigned as Deputy Governor (Operations) at the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Awogboro urged those spreading false speculations to desist, noting that such claims are baseless.
He said critics have nothing tangible to hold against Adelabu and are only unsettled by the unprecedented crowd that welcomed him back to Ibadan last Thursday.
Awogboro maintained that the current reality is that people in Oyo state are now the ones urging Adelabu to lead them with a shared vision of returning Oyo State to its rightful position as the true Pace Setter.
He noted that Adelabu’s move was driven by passion to serve the people and contribute meaningfully to society, so, stepping down from office when necessary has never been a challenge for him.
According to him, Adelabu does not take major decisions lightly, as he consistently seeks guidance from Almighty God and the counsel of his father and mentor, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He stressed clearly that Adelabu’s resignation was not in any way against the wishes of the President, but was done with his full consent, approval, and blessings.
He said people in the state have continued to call on Adelabu to lead them, pointing to his track record, strong grassroots connection, and commitment to local government development and emancipation across the state.
He also highlighted that growing support for Adelabu was evident on Thursday, April 23, when Adelabu arrived at Alakia Airport in Ibadan, when the city came alive with a massive display of love and enthusiasm from supporters across all 33 local government areas, underscoring his wide acceptance among the people.
