Adebayo Adelabu
Bayo Adelabu, minister of power, has declared his intention to contest the 2027 governorship election in Oyo state.
Speaking at an event, Adelabu said he has paid his dues and is confident that it is his turn to govern the state.
Emi lokan is Yoruba. It literally translates to it’s my turn. It was made popular by presidential candidate Bola Tinubu in the buildup to the 2023 general election.
“Truly, I have been on this journey for so long. I believe you don’t get a position immediately you join politics. I have paid my dues. I ran against Seyi (Makinde) in 2019, and again in 2023. By that time he was already in power,” he said.
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“In 2027, God has shown that it’s my turn. Emi lokan o, Adelabu lo kan. What’s mine belongs to all of us. I’m telling you there’s a lot of hard work ahead. All party members have to be involved, one person cannot do it.”
Adelabu left the position of deputy governor, operations, at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on July 15, 2018 to pursue a 2019 governorship bid.
He became the All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial candidate for the 2019 poll but lost the general election to Seyi Makinde, incumbent governor of Oyo.
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In 2022, after losing the APC primary to Teslim Folarin, a former senator, Adelabu defected to the Accord Party (AP) and contested the governorship office on the party’s platform following the withdrawal of Ayodele Oyajide from the race.
Again, he lost the governorship election to Makinde.
On July 27, 2023, he was nominated by President Tinubu as part of a 28-man ministerial list and was appointed minister of power on August 16, 2023.
Adelabu returned to the APC in 2023 after his election loss, emphasising that his return was not driven by personal ambition but by a commitment to support the party that brought Tinubu to power.
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“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,” he said.
