ADELABU DENIES ASKING NIGERIANS TO REJECT APC, REAFFIRMS LOYALTY TO TINUBU
Read Time:2 Minute, 27 Second
By: Muftau Fatimo
The immediate past Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has dismissed reports claiming he urged Nigerians to reject the All Progressives Congress (APC), describing the allegations as false, misleading and taken out of context.
Adelabu, through his media office, said the reports were based on an excerpt from a 2022 interview he granted while contesting for the Oyo State governorship under the Accord Party.
The controversy followed the resurfacing of a video on Saturday in which Adelabu was allegedly heard urging Nigerians to reject the APC.
However, in a statement issued on Sunday, his media office explained that the comments reflected the political circumstances at the time and were not intended to encourage Nigerians to reject the APC or oppose President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The statement described the report as a deliberate attempt to undermine Adelabu’s relationship with the President 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.”
According to the media office, Adelabu had argued during the 2022 interview that political parties had disappointed Nigerians, urging voters to assess candidates based on their credibility and character rather than party affiliations.
The statement also reaffirmed Adelabu’s commitment to the APC and his loyalty to Tinubu, despite disagreements surrounding the party’s governorship nomination process in Oyo State.
It explained that Adelabu had expressed concerns over the alleged failure to transparently release the results of the party’s primary election and the subsequent declaration of a preferred aspirant as the winner.
The media office maintained that his 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.
It further stated that Adelabu had repeatedly maintained that he had no intention of leaving the APC, stressing that his political ambition was not a do-or-die affair.
The statement described his relationship with Tinubu as longstanding and built on mutual respect and trust, insisting that both men remained on cordial terms.
Adelabu’s media office also challenged those circulating the video to release the full, unedited interview to provide context for the comments attributed to him.
It claimed that Adelabu had not granted any media interview since the conclusion of the disputed APC governorship nomination process in Oyo State.
The media office urged Nigerians, APC members and media organisations to verify information before sharing it, warning that misleading reports could fuel divisions within the party.
It reiterated that Adelabu remained committed to the APC and supportive of its political objectives, advising the public to rely on statements issued by him or his authorised representatives.
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