*Chief Adebayo Adelabu.
Former Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, has dismissed as false a viral report claiming that he urged Nigerians to reject the All Progressives Congress (APC) nationwide, describing the allegation as malicious and an attempt to undermine his loyalty to President Bola Tinubu.
Adelabu, through his media office, said the video circulating on social media was an excerpt from an interview he granted in 2022 when he was the governorship candidate of the Accord Party in Oyo State.
In a press statement, his media office accused those circulating the video of manipulating an old recording and presenting his comments out of context to create the impression that he had turned against the ruling party.
It insisted that Adelabu had neither called on Nigerians to reject the APC nor renounced his loyalty to Tinubu.
The statement urged the public, APC members and the media to disregard the report, describing it as a deliberate attempt to create friction between the former minister, the President and the party’s leadership.
According to the statement, Adelabu’s comments in 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.
It maintained that the remarks were made within the political context of 2022 and did not amount to a call for Nigerians to reject the APC or oppose Tinubu’s presidency.
The media office challenged those circulating the video to publish the full, unedited interview to enable the public to understand the context of his remarks.
It also stated that Adelabu had not granted any media interview since the conclusion of the controversial APC governorship nomination process in Oyo State in which he made the alleged statement.
The former minister’s office further argued that his political history and relationship with Tinubu contradicted the narrative being promoted on social media.
Adelabu served as Minister of Power under the APC-led Federal Government before voluntarily leaving office to pursue his governorship ambition in Oyo State.
However, his media office alleged that the APC governorship nomination process in the state was marred by controversy, including the alleged failure to transparently release the primary election results and the imposition of a preferred aspirant.
Despite his grievances over the process, the statement said, Adelabu had repeatedly affirmed his intention to remain in the APC and maintained that his political ambition was not a do-or-die affair.
It added that his demand for transparency and internal democracy should not be interpreted as disloyalty to the party or the President.
“His position has been consistent: loyalty does not preclude the demand for fairness, transparency and adherence to democratic principles,” the statement said.
The media office argued that political parties should uphold the same standards of transparency and accountability expected of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the conduct of their internal elections.
It questioned the rationale behind declaring a candidate the winner of an election without publishing the results and subsequently establishing a reconciliation committee to address the grievances of aggrieved stakeholders.
The statement also described the relationship between Adelabu and Tinubu as longstanding, cordial and founded on mutual respect and trust.
It said no amount of political pressure or alleged misinformation could undermine their relationship.
The media office called on APC members and the general public to verify information before sharing it on social media, warning against the circulation of unsubstantiated claims capable of creating divisions within the party.
It reaffirmed Adelabu’s commitment to the APC and his support for Tinubu, insisting that his demand for fairness in the party’s internal processes should not be misconstrued as opposition to its leadership.
The statement urged the public to rely on authentic statements from Adelabu or his authorised representatives rather than reports it described as fabricated.