Politics

Inside Adelabu’s Exit: How He Defied Tinubu to Chase Oyo Governorship

Published by admin on April 25th, 2026.

Inside Adelabu’s Exit: How He Defied Tinubu to Chase Oyo Governorship

The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, stepped down from the cabinet of Bola Tinubu even though the President reportedly advised him not to leave.

Sources familiar with the situation revealed that Adelabu was determined to resign so he could focus on his ambition to become the governor of Oyo State. He officially announced his resignation in a letter dated April 22, 2026, which was sent through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

His resignation came after a directive from President Tinubu asking all political appointees interested in contesting the 2027 elections to step down on or before March 31, 2026. While some ministers complied with the deadline, Adelabu resigned about 22 days later.

Insiders, however, insisted that his exit was voluntary and not forced. According to a senior official, the President had actually tried to discourage him from leaving and even avoided meeting him for some time to delay the discussion about resignation.

When they eventually met, Tinubu reportedly asked Adelabu if he was confident of winning the governorship ticket. Adelabu responded positively, and the President wished him well.

Another source disclosed that Tinubu valued Adelabu’s work and had defended his performance, especially amid criticism over power supply challenges and rising electricity costs. The President was said to believe that the problems in the power sector go beyond one individual.

There were also claims that Adelabu was being considered for a new role as Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy before he decided to resign.

A separate source explained that the March 31 deadline was mainly administrative, noting that the law allows candidates to resign at least 30 days before party primaries. Based on this, Adelabu’s resignation was still within the legal timeframe.

An associate of the former minister added that he delayed his resignation to complete an important assignment and also met with the President to give a final report of his work, which was well received.

His media aide, Femi Awogboro, confirmed that Adelabu had the President’s support before leaving office. He also noted that this was not the first time Adelabu had voluntarily resigned from a major position, recalling his earlier exit from the Central Bank of Nigeria where he served as Deputy Governor.

Awogboro further stated that Adelabu enjoys strong support from the people of Oyo State, especially following a warm reception he received in Ibadan shortly after his resignation.

Adelabu, who previously contested for governor, has made it clear that he intends to try again in 2027. However, political developments within his party suggest that other contenders, including Sharafadeen Alli, may also be in the race as discussions continue ahead of the elections.