16th December, 2023
By Suleiman Shehu
The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu has said his decision to return to the All Progressives Congress, APC was not because of his 2027 governorship ambition, but to make the party stronger.
Adelabu had defected from APC to Accord Party in May 2022 after failing to secure the governorship ticket of the party.
He contested the 2023 governorship election on the platform of Accord, but lost the election.
However, Adelabu officially returned to the APC at the party secretariat at Oke-Ado, Ibadan on Friday.
He was however appointed Minister by President Bola Tinubu.
While addressing party faithful at the event, Adelabu said that he and others who left the party with him had formally returned to APC to make the party stronger and not about succeeding Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State in 2027.
He explained they left the party based on principle, and not because they had problems with APC in the state or with party members.
“I returned not because of 2027 governorship ambition or to take over the party, but because I believe this is a party that brought President Bola Tinubu to power, and we need to support him to deliver on his electoral promises.
“This is not time for politics, it is time for governance, and Tinubu needs our support for him to succeed and deliver on his Renewed Hope Agenda.
“I have come back to the party not to take over the party and not to dissolve executives; we have come to the party to extend hands of fellowship and reconciliation.
“We are assuring you that we are back for cooperation and collaboration for us to build a strong party so that the party will take over power in the state at the end of the day in 2027,” Adelabu said.
In his remarks, APC Chairman in the state Mr Isaac Omodewu, who was represented by the Party Secretary, Alhaji Tajudeen Olanike, said that the party was open for reconciliation and was ready to listen to all aggrieved members, to build a stronger party.
Also speaking, a former deputy governor, Mr Moses Adeyemo, said that the party needed peace and unity of all members for progress.
(NAN)