The Minister of Power, Mr Adebayo Adelabu, said on Friday that his return to the All Progressives Congress (APC) from Accord Party had nothing to do with succeeding Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State in 2027. He said the move was to support President Bola Tinubu.
Adelabu said this during his official return to the APC at the party’s secretariat at Oke-Ado, Ibadan on Friday.
The News Agency of Nigeria reported that Adelabu in May 2022 left the APC to join Accord party after failing to secure the governorship ticket of the party.
The minister, while addressing party members and supporters at the event, said he and others who left the party with him had formally returned to the APC to make the party stronger.
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He explained they left the party based on principle, and not because they had problems with APC in the state or with party members.
He stated, “I returned not because of 2027 governorship ambition or to take over the party, but because I believe this is a party that brought President Bola Tinubu to power, and we need to support him to deliver on his electoral promises.
“This is not time for politics, it is time for governance and Tinubu needs our support for him to succeed and deliver on his Renewed Hope Agenda.
“I have come back to the party not to take over the party and not to dissolve executive; we have come to the party to extend hands of fellowship and reconciliation. We are assuring you that we are back for cooperation and collaboration for us to build a strong party so that the party will take over power in the state at the end of the day in 2027.”
The APC chairman in the state, Mr Isaac Omodewu, who was represented by the party’s secretary, Alhaji Tajudeen Olanike, said the party was open to reconciliation and was ready to listen to all aggrieved members to build a stronger party.
Also, a former deputy governor, Mr Moses Adeyemo, said the party needed peace and unity of all members for progress.