‘It’s fake news, I haven’t resigned as Power Minister’: Adelabu breaks silence

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu has forcefully denied reports that he has resigned from the Federal Executive Council, dismissing the claims as “fake news.”

This is even as the clock runs out on a presidential directive requiring political appointees with 2027 election ambitions to vacate their posts by March 31.

The rebuttal, issued late Tuesday through his media aide, came amid intense political speculation about the minister’s future, fueled by his own recent remarks about a possible governorship run in Oyo State and the growing uncertainty surrounding President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet ahead of the next election cycle.

“The news of the minister’s resignation is fake. There is no truth to it,” Bolaji Tunji, Adelabu’s Special Assistant on Media, said in a WhatsApp message to journalists.

Tunji also circulated photographs of the purported resignation letter overlaid with a “fake news” stamp, seeking to quash a wave of speculation that had swept political circles in the hours before the March 31 deadline.

The rumours gained traction after Adelabu, at a press briefing in Abuja last Tuesday, gave a carefully hedged response when asked whether he intended to step down to pursue a gubernatorial ticket in his home state of Oyo.

“What matters to me most now is this job that I am doing as the Honourable Minister of Power. I am excelling on the job, and that is my priority for now, tackling foreseen, known and unforeseen challenges in the power sector,” he said at the time.

But he added a telling caveat: “We have between now and March 31, if I am interested, in the gubernatorial contest in Oyo State. It is all about service, either at the national level or at the subnational level. I will not say more than that. Whether I will be here or I will be leaving is a matter of time.”

The backdrop to the uncertainty is a directive issued by President Tinubu through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, mandating all political appointees seeking elective office in 2027 to resign on or before March 31, 2026.

The circular cited Section 88(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026, and the timetable published by the Independent National Electoral Commission for party primaries.

Political observers note that Adelabu’s situation is complicated by internal APC dynamics in Oyo State. While the minister has maintained a strong presence in the state and is considered a leading contender for the party’s gubernatorial ticket, reports have emerged that President Tinubu has not yet endorsed his candidacy.

Sources suggest that support within the party’s state structure may be tilting toward Senator Sharafadeen Alli, who represents Oyo South Senatorial District.

That uncertainty may have contributed to the minister’s reluctance to either commit to the race or definitively rule it out. By neither resigning nor publicly declaring his ambition, Adelabu has kept his options open while maintaining his official duties.

Adelabu’s tenure at the Ministry of Power has been marked by persistent challenges, including grid collapses, tariff controversies, and mounting debts in the electricity sector.

He has pursued a reform agenda aimed at attracting private investment and improving generation and distribution infrastructure, though public frustration over erratic power supply remains high.

Adelabu is not the only political appointee whose plans have been the subject of speculation. Several ministers and agency heads believed to be eyeing state houses or legislative seats were expected to resign by March 31 to comply with the directive.

However, as of late Tuesday, no official list of resignations had been released by the presidency, leaving the public to rely on a mix of confirmations, denials, and leaks.