2027: What Tinubu Told Me About Oyo Behind Closed Doors

Former Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has claimed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has not endorsed any candidate for the Oyo governorship race in 2027.

He said the president has asked him to pursue his ambition while the party explores consensus or a direct primary.

Adelabu spoke in Ibadan at a stakeholders’ meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

He was responding to claims that the party had adopted Sharafadeen Alli as consensus candidate.

The endorsement, announced a day earlier, had been linked to the president by Ayo Adeseun, a former senator, who said Tinubu’s position should guide the party’s choice.

Adeseun had argued that Tinubu’s influence as party leader should shape the choice of candidate, a stance that now appears to have deepened divisions within the Oyo APC.

But Adelabu rejected the claim, insisting no such directive was issued.

“Anybody saying he had a meeting with the president and that he endorsed someone is telling lies,” he said.

The former minister said he delayed his resignation from the Federal Cabinet to secure a meeting with the President, adding that the discussion took place behind closed doors last week.

According to him, Tinubu encouraged him to proceed with his governorship ambition.

“He told me, ‘Bayo, it is time. This is a long-standing ambition. I will not stop you. Go and resign and start work,’” Adelabu said.

He added that the president only advised that party leaders could explore a consensus arrangement but did not impose any candidate, noting that a direct primary would be an option if consensus fails.

“He said he would consult some stakeholders to see if consensus is possible, and if it is not, we will go through direct primary. That is what he told me,” he said.

Adelabu maintained that the president had not endorsed any aspirant in the Oyo race and cautioned against attributing such a decision to him.

“The president has not called anybody to endorse any candidate in Oyo,” he said.

According to him, “if the president were to back anyone, it would be me”.