Adelabu Denies Asking Nigerians To Reject APC, Says Viral Video Is From 2022

Former Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has denied calling on Nigerians to reject the All Progressives Congress (APC), describing a viral video purportedly containing the statement as misleading and taken out of context.

Adelabu, through his Media Office, said the recording circulating on social media was an excerpt from an interview he granted in 2022 when he was the governorship candidate of the Accord Party in Oyo State.

In a statement issued in October 2026, the Media Office urged Nigerians to disregard reports suggesting that Adelabu had called for a nationwide rejection of the ruling party.

It described the allegation as “false, misleading and maliciously intended to discredit Chief Adelabu, undermine his loyalty to the APC” and create friction between him, President Bola Tinubu and the party’s leadership.

The statement maintained that Adelabu did not call on Nigerians to reject the APC, insisting that his remarks in the earlier interview concerned the performance of political parties and the need for voters to assess candidates based on their credibility and character.

“In that interview, he expressed the view that political parties had disappointed Nigerians and that voters should pay greater attention to the credibility and character of individual candidates,” the statement said.

According to the Media Office, the comments reflected the political circumstances at the time and should not be interpreted as a recent statement against the APC or Tinubu.

It further argued that Adelabu’s political position had remained consistent despite controversies surrounding the party’s governorship nomination process in Oyo State.

Adelabu served as minister under the APC-led Federal Government before leaving office to pursue his governorship ambition in the state.
The statement said he had repeatedly maintained that he would remain in the APC despite his dissatisfaction with aspects of the nomination process.

It added that he had described his political ambition as not being a do-or-die affair and continued to express loyalty to Tinubu.

“His position has been consistent: loyalty does not preclude the demand for fairness, transparency and adherence to democratic principles,” the statement said.

The Media Office also questioned the circumstances surrounding the circulation of the video, arguing that criticism of the party’s internal electoral process should not be presented as evidence of disloyalty.

It said Adelabu had raised concerns about the declaration of a winner in the Oyo governorship primary without the transparent release of results, describing the issue as one of internal democracy and accountability.

“It is therefore mischievous to twist his demand for internal democracy into a call for Nigerians to reject the APC,” it added.

On his relationship with Tinubu, the Media Office said the relationship remained cordial, describing it as one founded on mutual respect and trust.

The statement also challenged those circulating the recording to make the complete interview available to the public.

“We challenge those circulating the video to publish the full interview, unedited, rather than selectively extracting statements and presenting them out of context to advance a malicious political narrative,” it said.

The Media Office further stated that Adelabu had not granted any media interview since the conclusion of the controversial APC governorship nomination process in Oyo State in which he made the alleged statement.

It expressed concern that words he neither said nor authorised were being attributed to him.

The statement urged members of the public, APC supporters and media organisations to verify information before sharing or publishing claims about the former minister.

“Chief Adelabu remains committed to the APC, loyal to Mr President and supportive of the party’s broader political objectives,” the statement said.

However, the full 2022 interview was not included in the statement, and the claims about the video’s origin and context could not be independently verified from the material provided.