Bayo Adelabu says he is focused on power. But not the electric kind.
In recent weeks, Nigeria’s Minister of Power has moved quietly through Ogbomoso and Oyo, meeting chieftains, courting factions, and making clear that his sights are set not on voltage, but on votes. The former central banker turned cabinet official wants to be governor of Oyo State in 2027. He’s already rehearsing his campaign script. And he doesn’t seem to be waiting for anyone’s permission.
Which raises a different sort of question for the presidency and the people: is it time for Adelabu to make way for someone whose ambition lies in kilowatts, not campaigns?
The Ministry of Power needs a full-time steward. Nigeria’s electricity sector is teetering: saddled with N5 trillion in debt, persistent outages, ageing infrastructure, and a national grid with the temperament of a toddler. The government’s latest push toward a cost-reflective tariff regime has triggered more questions than confidence. Consumers grumble, generators roar, and no one is quite sure what they’re paying for.
Adelabu, for his part, has promised reform. He has spoken of liquidity fixes, transmission upgrades, renewable expansion, and stakeholder engagement. But while the plans pile up, performance has not. Power generation has barely moved since 2015, and distribution remains patchy even for premium-paying Band A customers.
One cannot serve two masters. The road to Agodi is long and winding, and the detours required to reach it are incompatible with running one of Nigeria’s most complex ministries. Adelabu may very well have the capacity to govern a state. But right now, he governs a sector in urgent need of clear direction.
If his heart lies in Oyo 2027, then the honourable move would be to step aside and allow someone else to refocus the ministry’s compass. Power, after all, is not just about ambition. It’s about results. And this is no time for distracted leadership.
Nigeria deserves better than flickering attention. Let there be light—and focus.
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