Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu has officially resigned his position to run for governor of Oyo State in 2027.
In a letter dated April 22, 2026, and addressed to President Bola Tinubu and routed through the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Adelabu stated that his resignation takes effect on April 30, 2026. He said the timeline is to enable him to do a proper handover.
Adelabu submitted his letter of resignation on Wednesday, April 22, 2026 at the Office of the SGF, complying with the 2026 Electoral Act that requires political office holders to step down before contests.
He expressed gratitude to the president for the opportunity given to him to serve the country at the national level in that capacity.
“I write with a deep sense of honour and profound gratitude to formally tender my resignation as the Honourable Minister of Power of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” part of the letter reads.
“This resignation is to take effect on 30th April 2026, in order to allow sufficient time for a smooth and orderly handover of responsibilities.”
The former minister said his resignation was to enable him to focus fully on his ambition to contest for Oyo State governorship seat in the 2027 election.
He said the decision to resign at this moment is inline with some provisions of the amended electoral law, which prohibit public office holders from contesting elections.
Adelabu, who previously ran for governor in 2019 and 2023, will now focus fully on securing the APC ticket for the 2027 election.
“My decision to step down is informed by my intention to focus fully on my gubernatorial ambition in Oyo State. This aspiration, which dates back to 2016 during my service as Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, ultimately led to my voluntary resignation from the Central Bank in 2018 in order to pursue the same goal.”
“In line with the provisions of the Amended Electoral Act 2026, which preclude political office holders from contesting elections, I consider it both appropriate and necessary to resign at this time,” he stated.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist, scholar and analyst of socioeconomic issues in Nigeria and Africa. He is skilled in energy reporting, business and economy, and holds a master's degree in Mass Communication. He can be reached via @VICTOREZEJA on X