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"I'm Taking a Calculated Risk": Adelabu Quits as Power Minister, Secures Tinubu's Blessing for Oyo Governorship Race
The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has resigned from President Bola Tinubu's cabinet after two and a half years at the helm of Nigeria's troubled electricity sector, formally stepping down to pursue his long-held ambition of governing Oyo State. In a resignation letter dated April 22, 2026, addressed to the President through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Adelabu declared that his decision—effective from April 30—was driven by the need to comply with the Electoral Act and to focus fully on his bid for the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship ticket ahead of the 2027 elections.
What elevates this resignation from routine political manoeuvring to a story of genuine consequence is the backstory of tension, presidential reluctance, and Adelabu's determination to walk away from a cabinet position many would consider too valuable to relinquish. The former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria was not simply exiting a ministry; he was defying the wishes of a President who, by multiple accounts, had spent two months attempting to dissuade him.
"The President Didn't Want Him to Go"
Contrary to the narrative that Adelabu was pushed out, multiple Presidency sources have confirmed that the exact opposite occurred. According to insiders, Tinubu had been avoiding Adelabu for nearly two months to prevent him from having the opportunity to discuss resignation. "He came to the Villa on Tuesday, where he met with the President. The President had been avoiding him for the past two months so he wouldn't get the opportunity to talk about resignation. That's why he delayed," one top government official revealed.
When the two men finally sat down at the Presidential Villa on April 21, Tinubu posed a direct question: "Are you sure you can win the ticket?" Adelabu's response was immediate and confident: "Yes, sir, I can win. I will win." The President replied, "Best of luck." Another source noted that Tinubu had consistently defended Adelabu's performance in office, even amid public criticism over persistent grid collapses and rising electricity tariffs. There were even suggestions that Tinubu had considered Adelabu for the Finance Minister position following Wale Edun's departure.
With these revelations now public, Adelabu's camp has moved swiftly to dismiss any suggestion of discord. In a statement issued through his media aide, Femi Awogboro, the former minister insisted he "actually obtained the full approval and blessing of President Tinubu before taking the decision to resign," describing claims he defied the President as "baseless." "Critics have nothing tangible to hold against Adelabu and are only unsettled by the unprecedented crowd that welcomed him back to Ibadan," the statement added.
The Final Briefing: A 2.5-Year Legacy Presented
A day before tendering his letter, Adelabu met with the President at the Presidential Villa to present a comprehensive report on the power sector's performance under his stewardship. The briefing was substantive, anchored on the presentation of the National Integrated Electricity Policy (NIEP), its Strategic Implementation Plan (SIP), and a medium- to long-term integrated resource plan for the electricity sector.
In his resignation letter, Adelabu outlined what he regarded as the key achievements of his tenure. "When I assumed office in 2023, the power sector was confronted with significant structural and operational challenges. Available generation capacity was between 3,500 and 4,500 megawatts despite an installed capacity of over 13,000 megawatts," he wrote. He claimed that peak generation had risen to over 6,000MW, supported by the integration of the Zungeru Hydropower Plant and the rehabilitation of thermal power assets, alongside the successful implementation of the Electricity Act 2023 which decentralised the electricity market.
However, the claim of a 6,000MW peak has since been disputed. A fact-check by the Daily Trust, using verified data from the Association of Power Generation Companies (APGC) and the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), found no evidence that Nigeria's grid had ever surpassed 6,000MW during Adelabu's tenure. The data showed peak generation hovering between 5,000MW and 5,801MW, with actual available capacity declining to approximately 4,089MW by March 2026. Joy Ogaji, CEO of APGC, cautioned against conflating different metrics—installed capacity, available capacity, peak generation, and average delivered power are not interchangeable figures.
Yet beyond the disputed numbers, Adelabu's tenure coincided with a significant policy shift. The broader reform framework he championed contributed to the landmark ₦3.3 trillion debt settlement plan approved by President Tinubu on April 5, 2026—a programme designed to finally resolve legacy debts accumulated between February 2015 and March 2025. Implementation has already begun, with 15 power plants signing settlement agreements totalling ₦2.3 trillion, and ₦501 billion mobilised to fund payments.
The Governorship Gamble: "A Calculated Risk"
For Adelabu, the resignation is not an act of political suicide but a calculated wager on his ability to translate federal-level prominence into state-level electoral success. Speaking to journalists in Ibadan on Thursday, he was characteristically direct: "The singular reason for my resignation is to come back and plead for the opportunity to represent our party as the gubernatorial candidate in the 2027 general election. That is the only reason why I resigned."
He described the move as "a calculated risk" aligned with a political ambition he has nurtured for over a decade. His platform, as outlined to supporters, rests on three pillars: infrastructure development, economic prosperity, and enhanced security for Oyo State.
Adelabu also moved quickly to dispel swirling rumours that President Tinubu or the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, had anointed a preferred candidate. "Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria with 36 states, 774 local governments and almost 9,000 wards… he will not endorse or have special interest in anybody," he stated. Regarding his relationship with the President, he struck a personal note: "Of course, in the last two, three weeks, there have been rumours that Asiwaju has endorsed someone else. But it is all a lie. I am his son. If he has such a plan, he would have told me."
On the Olubadan, his position was equally firm: "The Olubadan is a father to everyone. I do not believe he would take sides in partisan politics."
A Sector in Transition: What Adelabu Leaves Behind
Adelabu exits at a paradoxical moment for Nigeria's power sector. The ₦3.3 trillion debt settlement plan—the most ambitious financial intervention in the sector's history—is now being implemented, with the government's Special Adviser on Energy, Olu Arowolo-Verheijen, affirming that "this programme is not just about settling legacy debts. It is about restoring confidence across the power sector—ensuring gas suppliers are paid, power plants can keep running, and the system begins to work more reliably."
Yet the reality on the ground remains sobering. Under Adelabu's watch, the national grid reportedly collapsed at least 12 times in 2024 alone, underscoring the fragility of Nigeria's electricity infrastructure. Generation remains volatile, and for the millions of Nigerians who still rely on generators for daily power, the gap between policy papers and lived experience remains cavernous. The challenge awaiting his successor—and the President who must now appoint one—is to ensure that the billions being deployed actually translate into electrons reaching homes and businesses.
Conclusion: A Political Calculus with Consequences
Adebayo Adelabu's resignation is a defining moment in both his personal political trajectory and the broader realignment underway ahead of the 2027 elections. His departure from the cabinet—secured with Tinubu's blessing despite the President's private reluctance—signals his confidence that the governorship of Oyo State is within reach. His dismissal of endorsement rumours and insistence that the APC ticket remains open positions him as a formidable contender in a race that is only beginning to take shape.
But the risks are real. He leaves behind a power sector still grappling with structural dysfunction, and his campaign will inevitably be measured against his ministerial record—both the policy frameworks he helped establish and the grid collapses that occurred on his watch. Whether Oyo electorate judges his tenure in Abuja as a credential or a liability will determine whether this calculated risk becomes the launchpad for a governorship or the end of a political chapter.
Stay tuned to Unuevbo TV for more in-depth reporting on Nigeria's 2027 election developments and political landscape.
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