December 10, (THEWILL) – He has barely spent four months on the saddle as the Minister of Power, but Adebayo Adelabu already has his eyes set on occupying the Oyo State Government House.
Last week, Adelabu, who was the governorship candidate of the Accord party, AD, in the 2023 governorship election in Oyo State, announced his imminent return to the All Progressives Congress, APC, after leaving the party amidst a crisis during the build-up to the election.
Adelabu had announced his resignation from the APC after losing the party’s primary election to Senator Teslim Folarin by more than 600 votes. In a letter addressed to the state Chairman and APC leaders in Oyo State, he made it known that he would officially announce his return at a ceremony to be held at the party’s office in Oke-Ado, Ibadan, on December 15, 2023.
Adelabu, who left the party together with his loyal followers during the period of turmoil within the party, cited consultations with national leaders and executives as the reason for his decision to return. Obviously, his return to the party barely 18 months after he left, is in earnest preparation for his governorship ambition which has been his burning desire in the past eight years. He is expected to naturally emerge the APC’s consensus candidate, come 2026 and with federal might, he will be the candidate to beat during the election of 2027, all things being equal.
The minister had allegedly entered into an agreement with the powers that be on the best possible way for him to emerge governor in Oyo State and that is exactly what has been playing out since the Bola Tinubu-led administration was inaugurated. The former deputy governor, operations, Central Bank of Nigeria, Adelabu is no spring chicken when it comes to politics. His ambition to govern Oyo State dates back to 2019 when he first vied for the position on the platform of APC. He emerged as the governorship candidate where six other contestants stepped down for him. Unfortunately, he lost to the incumbent, Seyi Makinde of the People Democratic Party. In 2023, he tried again but failed woefully. Perhaps he might just be lucky at the third attempt.
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