Adebayo Adelabu, former Minister of Power, has dismissed claims that President Bola Tinubu has endorsed any governorship candidate in Oyo State ahead of the 2027 elections, insisting that no such decision has been taken within the Presidency. The controversy follows a meeting of some All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders in Ibadan, where Senator Sharafadeen Alli was reportedly adopted as the party’s consensus governorship candidate. At the meeting, former Senator Ayo Adeseun said the President’s position should guide the party’s choice in the state. “Mr. President remains the leader of our party, and his opinion on who flies the party’s flag must be given due consideration,” Adeseun said. Adelabu rejected the claim during an APC stakeholders’ meeting in Ibadan South-East, where he spoke in Yoruba and insisted that no endorsement had been made. “I have seen people going around saying the president has already endorsed someone in Oyo. They are telling lies,” Adelabu added. He explained that before resigning from office, he requested a direct meeting with President Tinubu to clarify his political ambition. “Before I resigned, I told him I needed to see the person who appointed me face-to-face. That was why I delayed my resignation so I could meet him properly,” he said. Adelabu said he eventually met the President in a closed-door meeting, where his ambition was discussed. “I met him last week in a closed-door meeting. I cannot come out and say things that are not true about the President,” he said. According to him, Tinubu acknowledged his long-standing ambition and encouraged him to proceed with his political plans. “He told me, ‘Bayo, it is time. This ambition has been long. I won’t stop you. Go and resign and start your work,’” Adelabu continue. He added that the President suggested consultations among stakeholders to explore a possible consensus, but where that fails, the party would proceed with direct primaries. “The President said he would speak with two or three people to see if a consensus is possible. If not, we go for direct primary,” he concluded. Adelabu maintained that no endorsement has been issued for any candidate in Oyo State, warning against misinformation about the President’s position, while affirming that consultations within the party are still ongoing ahead of 2027.