As the 2027 general elections draw closer, the Minister of Power and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Adebayo Adelabu, has declared his readiness to reconcile with all aggrieved fellow party leaders, and stalwarts in the state.
Adelabu’s address indicates his willingness to reconcile with all APC leaders in Oyo state including the party’s 2023 governorship candidate in Oyo State, Senator Teslim Folarin, in a bid to unify the APC and enhance its chances of reclaiming power from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Adelabu made the remark while hosting the leadership of the Oyo APC, led by its chairman, Chief Olaide Abass, at his Ibadan residence over the weekend.
The meeting, which had in attendance state executive members and chairmen of the 33 local government chapters of the party, was convened to review the state of the APC and strategize ahead of the 2027 elections.
In a a passionate plea for genuine reconciliation, Adelabu emphasized that personal ambitions must take the back seat for the party’s greater good.
“Reconciliation is about sacrifice. It’s mutual sacrifice. There is no reconciliation without compromise, cooperation, and collaboration. Everybody is going to put down something for us to reconcile. What matters most is the party’s success at the next election,” he stated.
Adelabu, who was the APC’s governorship candidate in 2019 before defecting to Accord Party in 2022 and later rejoining the APC upon his ministerial appointment, noted that the 2027 elections offer a rare opportunity for the party to return to Agodi Government House.
However, he warned that such victory would only come if internal wrangling is resolved.
While he did not directly mention Folarin in his address, party insiders said Adelabu’s reconciliatory gesture signals a willingness to bury the hatchet and work with his longtime political rival in the overall interest of the APC.
Both men had previously locked horns over the party’s governorship ticket, a conflict that contributed to the party’s weakened electoral strength in 2023.
Adelabu assured that the party is already taking steps to rebuild trust among stakeholders and promote internal democracy, which would ensure the emergence of popular and competent candidates in 2027.
“No sacrifice is too big to reclaim Oyo for the APC. We will extend the olive branch to every stakeholder, including those we may have disagreed with in the past. Party unity is non-negotiable if we want to succeed,” Adelabu affirmed.
He also used the occasion to express strong confidence in the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and reaffirmed the state’s commitment to his 2027 re-election bid. Adelabu said the Oyo APC would formally endorse President Tinubu’s second-term ambition at an upcoming statewide stakeholders’ meeting.
“We reviewed Mr. President’s programmes, from student loans to agribusiness, to Zonal Development Commissions, and we are impressed. We are quite optimistic that in the next two years, he will deliver more prosperity for Nigerians,” he said.
The Minister also spoke on his performance as a federal appointee, promising to intensify efforts to improve Nigeria’s electricity supply, attract more investment in the sector, and implement key reforms to address vandalism and inefficiencies in electricity distribution.
“We are rolling out anti-vandalism laws and pursuing a complete overhaul of distribution companies in Nigeria. The power sector will get better,” he said.
On his relationship with other APC representatives in the National Assembly from the state, Adelabu disclosed plans to hold consultations with the three senators and nine House of Representatives members.
He stressed, however, that the party must first be properly aligned before external political moves are made.
In his remarks, the State APC Chairman, Chief Olaide Abass, hailed Adelabu for initiating the meeting and reaffirmed that the party was making significant progress with its reconciliation efforts.
“We have been going around, quietly reaching out to aggrieved members. What you see today is just a visible sign of what has been happening behind the scenes. The meeting was about healing and building strength. The people should expect us to recover our place in government in 2027,” Abass said.