THE Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has resigned from the Federal Executive Council to pursue his governorship ambition in Oyo State.
According to Punch Newspaper, the minister in a resignation letter dated April 22, 2026, and addressed to President Bola Tinubu, said his exit would take effect from April 30 to allow for a smooth transition and proper handover of responsibilities.
The minister stated that he was stepping down with gratitude for the opportunity to serve in the administration.
He thanked Tinubu for the confidence reposed in him, describing his appointment as an opportunity to contribute to reforms in one of Nigeria’s most critical sectors.
Adelabu said his decision was informed by his desire to focus fully on his governorship ambition in Oyo State ahead of the 2027 general election.
According to him, the ambition dates back to 2016 during his time as deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), noting that he had earlier resigned from the apex bank in 2018 to pursue the same political goal.
He added that the provisions of the amended Electoral Act 2026, which bar political office holders from contesting elections while still in office, made his resignation necessary.
Background
Although it came late, Adelabu’s resignation followed President Tinubu’s directive mandating all political appointees seeking elective office in 2027 to resign on or before March 31.
The directive applied to ministers, ministers of state, special advisers, senior aides, and heads of federal agencies planning to participate in party primaries or contest elective positions.
The government said the decision was in line with Section 88(1) of the Electoral Act 2026 and the timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which fixed party primaries between April 23 and May 30, 2026.
According to the statement signed by the Head of Information and Public Relations at the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) Dewan Goshit, the directive was aimed at ensuring compliance with electoral laws, promoting transparency in governance, and creating a level playing field for all aspirants.
Following the directive, several ministers resigned from Tinubu’s cabinet.
Among them were the former Minister of Transportation, Saidu Ahmed Alkali, who is expected to contest the Gombe State governorship election, and former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, who is reportedly preparing for the Bauchi governorship race.
The Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Yusuf Tanko Sununu, also stepped down to pursue a senatorial bid in Kebbi State.
Adelabu had remained in office despite public expectations that he would also resign, especially after a viral video in October 2025 in which he openly declared his ambition to govern Oyo State.
In the video, he referenced his previous governorship contests against Governor Seyi Makinde in 2019 and 2023 and expressed confidence that 2027 would be different.
Power Sector Challenges
Adelabu’s governorship ambition came amid growing criticism of his performance as Minister of Power since his appointment in August 2023, particularly over persistent power shortages across the country.
Despite Nigeria’s installed electricity generation capacity of over 13,000 megawatts, actual supply has remained significantly lower, with available power often below 5,000 megawatts.
The sector has also witnessed repeated national grid collapses, plunging many parts of the country into prolonged blackouts and worsening economic hardship for households and businesses.
Although the Federal Government introduced tariff reforms under his leadership to reduce subsidy burdens, many Nigerians complained that rising electricity costs did not translate into improved power supply.
Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: musman@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M