The immediate past Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has denied calling on Nigerians to reject the All Progressives Congress (APC), describing a viral social media report as false, misleading and intended to damage his political reputation.
Adelabu, through his media office, said the report was based on an excerpt from an interview he granted in 2022 when he was the governorship candidate of the Accord Party in Oyo State.
The clarification followed the resurfacing of a video on Saturday in which Adelabu was reportedly heard urging Nigerians to reject the APC during the interview.
In a statement issued on Sunday, his media office maintained that the video had been taken out of context to create the impression that the former minister opposed the APC and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
According to the statement, Adelabu's comments during the 2022 interview reflected his position at the time that political parties had disappointed Nigerians and that voters should prioritise the credibility and character of individual candidates.
The statement described the report as an attempt to undermine Adelabu's relationship with Tinubu and create unnecessary tension between him and the party's leadership.
It read, “This report is entirely false, misleading and maliciously intended to discredit Chief Adelabu, undermine his loyalty to the APC and, perhaps, create unnecessary friction between him, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the leadership of the party. We therefore urge the public to disregard the fabricated narrative.”
Adelabu Reaffirms Loyalty to Tinubu, APC
The former minister's media office insisted that Adelabu remained a committed member of the APC and continued to support President Tinubu despite controversies surrounding the party's governorship nomination process in Oyo State.
It argued that his political history and relationship with the president contradicted the suggestion that he had called on Nigerians to reject the ruling party.
“Throughout his political journey, Adelabu has consistently demonstrated his commitment to the APC and his loyalty to President Tinubu,” the statement said.
The media office also described Adelabu's relationship with Tinubu as longstanding and based on mutual respect and trust, adding that it remained cordial.
It further stated that Adelabu had no intention of leaving the APC and had consistently maintained that his political ambition was not a do-or-die affair.
APC Governorship Primary Dispute Explained
Addressing the controversy surrounding the APC governorship nomination process in Oyo State, Adelabu's media office said the former minister had expressed dissatisfaction with what it described as the failure to transparently release the results of the party's primary election.
According to the statement, concerns also arose over the subsequent declaration of a preferred aspirant as the winner.
The media office argued that Adelabu's demand for transparency and internal democracy should not be interpreted as disloyalty to the party.
“His position has been consistent: loyalty does not preclude the demand for fairness, transparency and adherence to democratic principles,” the statement added.
The office maintained that questioning the conduct of a party primary was different from opposing the party itself or its national leadership.
Adelabu Challenges Circulation of Viral Video
The former minister's media office challenged those circulating the video to release the full, unedited interview to enable the public to understand the context of the comments attributed to him.
It also claimed that Adelabu had not granted any media interview since the conclusion of the disputed APC governorship nomination process in Oyo State.
The office urged Nigerians, APC members and media organisations to verify information before sharing it on social media, warning that misleading reports could create unnecessary divisions within the party.
It reiterated that Adelabu remained committed to the APC and supportive of its political objectives, urging the public to rely on statements issued by him or his authorised representatives.
The controversy comes amid renewed attention to Adelabu's political position following the circulation of the 2022 interview. His media office maintains that the resurfaced clip does not accurately represent his current political stance.
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