Bayo Adelabu, a governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress in Oyo State, has stated that President Bola Tinubu and the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, have not endorsed any candidate for the 2027 election. He made the declaration on Thursday while addressing supporters and party members in Ibadan, shortly after returning from Abuja. Adelabu dismissed reports suggesting that Tinubu or the monarch had backed a preferred candidate, calling them false and unfounded. He said President Tinubu had made it clear that the gubernatorial race remains open to all interested persons within the party. According to Adelabu, Tinubu emphasized that as President of Nigeria, overseeing 36 states and 774 local governments, he would not endorse or show preference for any aspirant. The former Minister of Power said Tinubu advised APC stakeholders in Oyo to either reach a consensus or proceed to a direct primary if agreement proved impossible. Adelabu also rejected claims of the Olubadan's endorsement, describing the monarch as a unifying father figure beyond political affiliations. He recently resigned from his ministerial position to pursue the governorship. Adelabu pledged inclusive governance, stating his ambition was not to benefit himself or party members but to serve the poor, women, youths, and all residents of Oyo State.
President Tinubu urges consensus or primaries in Oyo, yet remains silent while his former minister campaigns full-time after resigning a key national position. Adelabu's direct appeal to the public for support contradicts the claim that no candidate has an edge. If the presidency truly takes no interest in Oyo's succession, then the resignation of a serving minister to run should raise questions about access and advantage. The idea that all aspirants are equal looks strained when one is a recently departed federal minister with national visibility.
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