A former Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has dismissed claims that President Bola Tinubu has endorsed any aspirant for the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship ticket in Oyo State ahead of the 2027 elections.
Adelabu made the clarification amid rising tensions within the All Progressives Congress in Oyo State, following reports that a group of party leaders in Ibadan had adopted Senator Sharafadeen Alli as a consensus candidate for the governorship race.
At the meeting, some stakeholders reportedly presented Alli as their preferred choice, while a former senator, Ayo Adeseun, was said to have suggested that Tinubu supported the move as the party’s national leader.
However, speaking at an APC gathering in Ibadan South-East, Adelabu rejected the claims, insisting that the president had not endorsed any aspirant.
“Anyone claiming the president had met with them and endorsed a candidate in Oyo State is not telling the truth,” he said.
Adelabu disclosed that he had personally met with Tinubu in a closed-door session to discuss his governorship ambition, noting that the president encouraged him to pursue his long-standing political goal.
“The president told me it was time to pursue my ambition and assured me that I would not be obstructed,” he said.
According to him, Tinubu also emphasised the need for internal consultations among party stakeholders to explore a possible consensus arrangement, adding that where consensus fails, direct primaries would be conducted.
Adelabu maintained that no official endorsement had been made in the Oyo APC governorship race, stressing that all aspirants remain on equal footing.
He also expressed confidence in his chances, stating that even if the president were to favour any candidate, he believed he would be the preferred choice.
