A viral video allegedly showing former Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, calling on Nigerians to reject the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been described by his camp as fake and misleading, with claims that it is intended to tarnish his political reputation.
The statement said the viral video was taken from an interview Adelabu granted in 2022, when he was the governorship candidate of the Accord Party in Oyo State, and that his comments had been taken out of context.
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Information and Strategy, also addressed the controversy in a post on his official X account, according to the information provided.
The statement urged Nigerians to disregard the claim that Adelabu had called on voters nationwide to reject the APC, insisting that the former minister remained loyal to the party and the President.
Viral Video of Adebayo Adelabu Described as Misleading
In a press statement, Adelabu’s camp said the circulating report was designed to damage his political reputation, question his loyalty to the APC and create unnecessary tension between him, President Tinubu and the party’s leadership.
It maintained that Adelabu had consistently expressed his commitment to the APC despite disagreements surrounding the party’s governorship nomination process in Oyo State.
The statement called on those sharing the viral video to publish the full, unedited interview rather than rely on selected excerpts that could misrepresent his original comments.
According to the statement, the video originated from an interview Adelabu granted in 2022 while contesting the Oyo State governorship election under the Accord Party.
During the interview, he reportedly expressed the view that political parties had disappointed Nigerians and encouraged voters to focus on the credibility and character of individual candidates.
His camp argued that the remarks reflected the political circumstances of that period and were not a call to reject the APC or oppose Tinubu’s presidency.
The statement also noted that Adelabu supported Tinubu’s presidential ambition at the time, despite contesting under a different political platform.
It therefore described the interpretation of the old recording as a deliberate attempt to manufacture political controversy.
The statement acknowledged disagreements surrounding the APC governorship nomination process in Oyo State, alleging that the exercise was affected by controversy over the emergence of a preferred aspirant and the non-release of primary election results.
Despite those grievances, Adelabu had repeatedly maintained that he had no intention of leaving the APC and that his political ambition was not a do-or-die affair, according to the statement.
His position, it added, was that loyalty to a political party should not prevent members from demanding fairness, transparency and respect for democratic principles.
The statement argued that internal party elections should reflect the standards of accountability expected of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) during public elections.
It maintained that calls for transparency in the nomination process should not be interpreted as disloyalty or an attempt to persuade Nigerians to reject the ruling party.
Adebayo Adelabu’s Relationship With Tinubu Described as Cordial
The statement further described the relationship between Adelabu and President Tinubu as longstanding and based on mutual respect, trust and affection.
It rejected suggestions that the former minister had renounced his loyalty to the President or was working against the interests of the APC.
It also claimed that Adelabu had not granted any media interview making the alleged statement since the conclusion of the controversial APC governorship nomination process in Oyo State.
His camp urged the public and media organisations to demand verifiable evidence before attributing statements to him.
The statement called on APC members, supporters and the general public to exercise caution when sharing political content online.
It urged Nigerians to verify the authenticity and context of viral videos before drawing conclusions, particularly when the recordings concern political leaders and party disputes.
The public was also advised to rely on authentic statements issued by Adelabu or his authorised representatives.
The controversy highlights the importance of checking the original source, date and full context of political recordings before sharing them as evidence of a public figure’s current position.
Adelabu’s camp maintained that his calls for fairness and internal democracy should not be misconstrued as opposition to the APC, insisting that the viral report does not accurately represent his political position.
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