Former power minister Adebayo Adelabu has urged members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to back his bid to become the next governor of Oyo State. 

Mr Adelabu made the appeal on Saturday during a visit to party leaders, members and supporters in his constituency, Ibadan South East Local Government Area.

The former minister said he visited members of the constituency to solicit support before filling out and submitting his expression of interest and nomination forms.

“You all said I should resign and that you would support me. I have now resigned. They are afraid. I have collected the form. I obtained the form at the rate of N50 million, so it must not go to waste. Before filling it, I feel I should present it to you first to get a go-ahead. This is the form,” Mr Adelabu stated.

The ex-minister refuted the claim that President Bola Tinubu had endorsed a preferred governorship candidate in the state, adding that if it were the case, he would be the best choice.

“What God has decided, no one can change. I am Asiwaju’s son. He has always been my support. When he became president, he chose me as his minister. From the onset, I stated my interest to return to be the Oyo State governor. The delay in my resignation as a minister was because I considered it important to see the president physically before taking such a decision,” Mr Adelabu said.

He noted that Mr Tinubu’s stance regarding political development in Oyo State remained that interested governorship candidates should either reach a consensus or conduct a direct primary election.

“He said if consensus doesn’t work, we should go to the field for the primary. I have grown in wisdom and maturity. Anyone who tells you that he has met with the president and that he agreed on a consensus is telling a lie,” Mr Adelabu said.

“What is on ground is a season film. The country’s President, Bola Tinubu, is a democrat. What is happening currently is not surprising. We saw it coming. It has happened to people before us, and we will win,” he said.

Citing political development in Ogun and Lagos states, Mr Adelabu described the APC as ‘a big and structured party system’, noting that the party does not choose consensus candidates in secrecy.

The ex-minister said the claim that a particular candidate has been endorsed was a distraction, which must be widely rejected by loyal party members.

Mr Adelabu stated that he would visit the APC party secretariat on Tuesday, May 5, to inform the state leadership of his aspiration. 

“On Tuesday, I’ll visit the party secretariat to inform them of my ambition. They are aware already, but what must be done, must be rightly done,” he said.

The former minister also disclosed that he would officially declare his ambition on Tuesday, May 12, at Liberty Stadium.

He stated that arrangements have been made to meet with the party ranks, including ward leaders, women and youth representatives, to strengthen discussions on his intention to lead the state and secure the party’s governorship ticket.

Mr Adelabu called on party members to obtain their party identity and voter cards, describing the two items as key instruments for securing victory in the forthcoming election.