Elegbede Abiodun
Nigeria’s Power Minister has decided to follow his ambition of becoming Oyo State Governor.
Nigeria’s Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has resigned from the Federal Executive Council, stepping down to pursue his ambition of contesting the 2027 governorship election in Oyo State.
Adelabu’s resignation, contained in a letter dated March 26 and addressed to President Bola Tinubu, comes in compliance with a federal directive requiring political appointees with electoral ambitions to vacate office before the end of March 2026.
In the letter, the former minister said his decision was to allow him “fully pursue” his governorship aspiration and commit the necessary time and resources to the race.
His exit marks a significant political shift within the administration, as preparations intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections, with several appointees expected to follow similar paths.
Adelabu, a former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, had long signalled his intention to return to the Oyo governorship contest, having previously run in 2019 and 2023.
His resignation comes at a critical time for Nigeria’s power sector, which continues to grapple with persistent electricity supply challenges, infrastructure gaps and mounting public pressure for improved performance.
During his tenure, the ministry pursued reforms aimed at stabilising generation and enhancing distribution, even as outages and grid instability remained key concerns across the country.
With his departure, attention is expected to shift to who will take over leadership of the power ministry, as the government continues efforts to address Nigeria’s long-standing energy challenges.
