The immediate past Minister of Power and All Progressives Congress, APC governorship aspirant Adebayo Adelabu has rebuffed some persons making the claim that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has endorsed a particular aspirant for next year’s governorship election in Oyo state. The suggestion is not true, he said.
The former minister made the comment amidst suggestions that the president and the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja have both endorsed Senator Sarafadeen Ali, who’s among the aspirants gunning for Governor Seyi Makinde’s job under the APC.
According to him, the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Rashidi Ladoja did not also endorsed the particular APC aspirant, saying all the aspirants have been directed to contest the primary for the party’s ticket, or participate in consensus arrangement in accordance with the party’s decision.
Adelabu made the remark on Thursday while addressing his supporters in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital, saying the governorship ticket in the state has been thrown open by the leadership of the party, urging his supporters to discountenance the rumour.
He said President is the leader of all in the country, and will not pull his weight behind a particular aspirant in deference to other aspirants in the party who want to contest for the party’s sole ticket for the 2027 governorship election.
He added that the Olubadan as the ‘father” of all will not contemplate supporting a particular aspirants at the expense of other aspirants who are eyeing the Agodi Government House, by contesting under the APC.
“President Tinubu has not endorsed any consensus candidate, and the gubernatorial contest is open to whoever is interested. Asiwaju is the President of Nigeria, overseeing 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. He is the President of 774 Local Governments. He is the President of almost 3,000 wards. So, he will not endorse or have a special interest in anyone,” he said.
Adding that “He (Tinubu) said we should all go and meet as a party, reach consensus among ourselves as a party with critical stakeholders on the ground, and if it’s not possible for us to reach consensus, then we go for a direct primary.
“On Olubadan endorsing an aspirant, I take the report as a rumour, and I don’t believe in it. Olubadan is the father of all, irrespective of status or political affiliations.”
The Minister, the magazine recalls resigned his position in the Federal Executive Council, FEC, on Thursday in other to pursue his governorship ambition.
His resignation followed rumour that he had given up the ambition after rumour spread that Senator Ali has been endorsed by President Tinubu to fly the APC governorship election next year.
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