Former Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has denied calling on Nigerians to reject the All Progressives Congress (APC), describing a viral video circulating on social media as misleading and taken out of context.
Adelabu, through his Media Office, said the footage was extracted from an interview he granted in 2022 when he was the governorship candidate of the Accord Party in Oyo State and should not be presented as a recent attack on the ruling party or President Bola Tinubu.
In a statement issued in October 2026, the former minister urged Nigerians, APC supporters and media organisations to disregard reports suggesting that he had called for a nationwide rejection of the party.
His Media Office described the allegation as “false, misleading and maliciously intended to discredit Chief Adelabu, undermine his loyalty to the APC” and create friction between him, Tinubu and the party’s leadership.
According to the statement, Adelabu’s comments during the 2022 interview focused on 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.
The Media Office maintained that the remarks reflected the political circumstances at the time and should not be interpreted as a fresh call against the APC.
The denial comes amid controversy surrounding the APC governorship nomination process in Oyo State, where Adelabu reportedly raised concerns about the transparency of the exercise.
His Media Office said the former minister questioned the declaration of a winner without the transparent release of the results, arguing that his position was a demand for internal democracy and accountability rather than evidence of disloyalty to the party.
“It is therefore mischievous to twist his demand for internal democracy into a call for Nigerians to reject the APC,” the statement added.
Adelabu, who previously served as minister under the APC-led Federal Government, left office to pursue his governorship ambition in Oyo State.
The statement said he had consistently maintained that he would remain in the APC despite his dissatisfaction with aspects of the nomination process.
It also noted that he had described his political ambition as not being a do-or-die affair and continued to express support for Tinubu.
“His position has been consistent: loyalty does not preclude the demand for fairness, transparency and adherence to democratic principles,” the statement said.
The former minister’s Media Office questioned the circumstances surrounding the circulation of the video, arguing that selectively extracted remarks could create a misleading impression of his political position.
It challenged those sharing the footage to publish the complete interview without editing.
“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,” the statement said.
The Media Office further claimed that Adelabu had not granted any media interview since the conclusion of the controversial APC governorship nomination process in Oyo State, expressing concern that statements he neither made recently nor authorised were being attributed to him.
On his relationship with Tinubu, the statement described it as cordial and founded on mutual respect and trust.
“Chief Adelabu remains committed to the APC, loyal to Mr President and supportive of the party’s broader political objectives,” it added.
Although Adelabu’s Media Office has offered an explanation for the viral recording, the full 2022 interview was not included in the statement, and the video’s origin and context could not be independently verified from the material available.
Publishing the complete recording would allow the public to assess the remarks in context and determine whether the circulating excerpt accurately represents what Adelabu said.
Until the full footage is made available and independently examined, the claim that Adelabu called on Nigerians to reject the APC remains disputed.
**The Press Nigeria
