A former Minister of Communications, Barr. Adebayo Shittu, has noted that President Bola Tinubu will decide the candidate of the All Progressives Congress for the 2027 governorship election in Oyo State.
He dismissed speculation that the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, may emerge as the consensus candidate of the party, saying nobody could determine who the candidate would be except the President.
Shittu, who served under former President Muhammadu Buhari, stated this in an exclusive interview with Sunday PUNCH, insisting that no aspirant had been promised the party’s ticket.
The former minister added that there was no indication from Tinubu’s body language suggesting that the President had endorsed any aspirant for the contest.
“The presidency will decide. Nobody can predict that this is what will happen. Again, nobody can confidently beat his chest that he has been promised the APC governorship ticket.
“He (Adelabu) is not the only one in the race. Forget the rumours that he may emerge as the APC anointed candidate. There is nothing like that. I can assure you.
“Some people are just making that assumption because he is a minister now. Was I not equally a minister before? In fact, I was the only minister from Oyo then under former President Buhari,” he said.
Shittu explained that the mode of selecting the party’s candidate—whether by consensus or indirect primaries—remains uncertain, noting that the decision ultimately rests with President Bola Tinubu.
The former coordinator of the Tinubu-Shettima Campaign Council also expressed confidence that the APC would reclaim Oyo State when the tenure of the incumbent governor, Seyi Makinde, ends.
“The PDP is a goner this time around,” he boasted.
Shittu noted that the contest for the APC ticket would be highly competitive, revealing that several other aspirants were preparing to join the race.
“Apart from the two of us, there will be a stiff challenge from the likes of Sharafadeen Alli, Teslim Folarin, and Remi Oseni from the House of Representatives.
“Although Sharafadeen has not indicated interest yet, we do know from all indications that he will contest. There are other aspirants too. Altogether, we should be about 11,” he stated.
His comments come amid reports that Adelabu may resign his ministerial position to pursue his governorship ambition under the APC platform.
Sources said individuals had already begun positioning for the role of Minister of Power should Adelabu step down.
Some stakeholders have also urged Tinubu to appoint a technocrat as a possible replacement.
Barring any last-minute change of plans, Adelabu is expected to resign his appointment in the coming weeks to contest the APC governorship ticket.
According to the timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission following the new Electoral Act 2026, party primaries and the resolution of disputes arising from them will commence on April 23 and end on May 30, 2026.
Adelabu had earlier hinted at his political ambition during an engagement with stakeholders in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry in Lagos late last year, where he expressed a desire to achieve some milestones “before I leave office.”
Some aides of the minister told Punch correspondent that the remark reflected his intention to join the Oyo governorship race.
In a video that circulated in October 2025, Adelabu formally declared his intention to run for governor of Oyo State, recalling how he lost to Makinde in the 2019 and 2023 elections.
The latest development comes about a year after Shittu warned Makinde against installing a successor, arguing that the people of Oyo State were yearning for fresh leadership.
The former minister had cautioned that the era of imposing an anointed loyalist was outdated and had no place in modern-day democracy.
His warning followed Makinde’s disclosure that he would soon announce his preferred successor during the 11th Omituntun Ramadan Lecture held at the Government House Arcade in Ibadan