PHOTOS: Power Minister, Adelabu Engages Oyo Youth, Urges People to Shun Violence • Let’s Support President Tinubu to Revitalise Our Dear Country—Repete, Gbadamosi, Others Appeal to Nigerians

Afeez Bello,
Ibadan, Oyo State.

It was a remarkable moment in Oyo State as the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, engaged youth stakeholders across the state on how to actively participate in the decision-making process and immensely contribute to the progress of the country.

Adelabu cautioned youths against allowing themselves to be used as an instrument of violence by unknown personalities and violent elements who are planning to set the country on the verge of destruction in a couple of days.

The power minister, who was represented by the former aide of the late Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State and former Deputy National Youth Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), made this appeal during a programme held on Sunday, July 28 at the Bayo Adelabu Foundation, Jericho, in Ibadan.

The representative of the Minister, Hon. Repete stated that,”Mr. President faced a lot of political challenges when he assumed office. Some people feel attacking him from all sides will affect his administration, and I only tell them that it is only God who gives power to whomever he wants.

“Some people are planning to stage a protest, but I can assure you that the August 1 protest is political. Yes, people are hungry, but was it the president who initiated the hunger? No. With time, Asiwaju will turn things around, and it will get better.

“I also learned that some party members were planning to join the protest because they had not been rewarded. I’m assuring you that between this month and next month, the president will roll out appointments that will circulate.

“People, especially the opposition members who were calling for good governance, are not ashamed of themselves. Since the president assumed office, he has been rolling out huge amounts of money and various palliatives to the state governors. Have they shared it out? No .

“Why is Oyo State Governor unhappy with local government financial autonomy? It is because he is using it to pay collateral for the money he borrowed, and it is now a problem for him to pay. What we should be demanding is accountability from the state governors as well. Please don’t let them push us to attack the federal government since the PDP government is performing poorly. By His Grace, APC will retake Oyo State comes 2027 and render true dividends of democracy to the good people of Oyo-State. Let us tell our people at home that, indeed, there is ease after hardship. We shall overcome.

While commending Adelabu, Hon. Repete said,”It is evident everywhere that power generation has increased and is still improving. He assured people to anticipate more improvement in the next six months,”reforms are not always easy”, Repete said.

“The Tinubu administration is focused on setting out some reforms, but there will definitely be some people who express their views. Expressing views is normal, especially when you’re doing it to improve people’s lives.” He noted.

“As we all know, those who are benefiting from the decadence will never support or encourage good governance and efficient adminstration. The Honourable Minister is from Ibadan, and an Ibadan man is not scared of war; he is well prepared and determined. Going to media houses to demean him will not stop him from achieving success.

Repete urged the youth to give total support to the minister since any attack on the minister is an indirect attack on the president since the minister is the face of the president in the state. Regardless of whom you are supporting in the 2027 gubernatorial election, please let us support and protect the minister because he is from our dear state and he is intelligently repositioning power sector. If anyone joins them in abusing him, it is like abusing the president. Although we are not there yet, with the determination of the minister, we will get there. I am appealing to politicians and members of various organisations that this is our state and it belongs to us all. Let’s collectively make it great.

Earlier, Hon. Repete saluted the office of the party State Youth Leader, Prince John Aremu, and his Deputy, Sayo Fatoki, for their commitment to the party and for always serving diligently. He also exalted local government youth leaders, whom he described as progressive, proactive, and forward-looking youths who are very loyal to their leadership. “I understand the youth structure and I congratulate the youths for being loyal to their leader and for being patriotic Nigerians.

In her remarks, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Youth Engagement and Initiatives, Hon. Titilope Gbadamosi, noted that she is at the event to respond to the questions circulating around “what has the president done for the youths?”.

“First, student loans are for vulnerable youths who were unable to pay school fees. Now, it has been paid directly to their school accounts. Second, Nigeria Youth Academy: this is a programme for youths to have at least more than a skill. And the government is trying to ensure a competitive advantage in the economy to cushion the effects of the hardship. When some youths approached me and said they had no jobs, when I asked them what they could do, they gave no response. Third, Skill-Up Artisans: The Federal Government will upgrade people’s skills’ and certify them.

“The government can also use the certificate to negotiate with other countries that need Nigerian artisans so that they will pay any Nigerians who want to work outside handsomely. Fourth, she highlighted some ongoing opportunities that were still available and the upcoming ones for those that were very good on social media, and multimillion-dollar projects that would be handled by the Bank of Industries for the youths across the country, among many others.

Gbadamosi appealed to youth leaders and stakeholders to help youths in their various gatherings apply for all these opportunities so that they will benefit from federal government programmes. “We are all feeling the hit of the economy, but we need to rally around President Tinubu. If we go on protest and destroy government properties, they will use our money to build another one. Please, let our youths, especially, in the southwestern part of the country make use of the various opportunities that federal government are rolling out. Let’s stop complaining and let’s start making use of the available opportunities. My office is available for any youth initiative and engagements”, she maintained.

Also, Hon. Gbadamosi used the avenue to reward the winner of the Youth Enterprise Skill-Aid Grant, an initiative set up by herself to assist youth entrepreneurs who engage in small-scale business.

In his remarks, the pioneer APC Youth Leader in Oyo State, Hon. Ambali Ejalonibu, lauded citizens for their resilience and perseverance. He stated,”Progressive party is dated back in history as the party that liberated souls in Africa since most of the first infrastructural landmarks were brought to life in the Western region during the era of the late sage, Pa Obafemi Awolowo. He established the first television station in Africa (NTA) when some world powers were still in darkness, the first high-rise tower, the first industrial estate, and many others. I decided to share this history because we are ‘Asiwaju’ as we always sing the Oyo State Anthem. Kudos to the late Senator Abiola Ajimobi for this and other initiatives.

“President Tinubu is trying his best to reform our economy, but numerous challenges have hindered progress. Past administrations have borrowed more than enough, so this administration incurred huge debts. The high cost of food is not Tinubu’s problem, but those who wanted to sabotage his government. When they did not succeed, they were now trying to stage a protest. They were the ones that divided Awolowo and Akintola; they pinned down Chief Mko Abiola, but we should not allow them to pull down the Tinubu government.

“Tinubu brought reforms; part of it was appointing Adelabu as Minister for Power, and we have been witnessing transformation in the power sector. People were criticising him for being a power minister because he is not an engineer. Adelabu surprised them by carrying out an audit, which enabled Nigerians to know that we have over 120 generating plants. This brought about 30% of the generation to the country. Adelabu appealed to the president not to sell the generating plants but to improve on them, and he has promised more improvement by the next 6 months. Please let us shun the protest. Whenever they want to instigate any unnecessary acts, let’s ensure we calm them. We will all benefit from this government, he prayed. 

Hon. Ibrahim Yasir, Arewa Youth Leader in Oyo State, noted that “before I came here, I held a meeting with various Arewa stakeholders and elders. I can assure you that we are not joining this protest, and the reason is that something is behind this protest. The truth is bitter about why they did not protest during the Buhari era. Is there no hunger during the Buhari era?. They just want to tarnish the image of Mr. President. We should not allow what happened in Libya, Syria, and South Sudan to happen here. The mission of the people that want to protest is to turn everything upside down across the country, but we are not joining them. Ibadan is the most peaceful city in Nigeria. During the Gov. Ajimobi-led administration, he prevented chaos in Sabo with a rapt response by mobilising security personnel within five minutes of that incident. The Arewa community wants peace. Sincerely, President Tinubu is working, Adelabu is the best minister of power, and megawatts have increased since he assumed office. Sabo is one of the areas that enjoys stable electricity.

“The power minister is carrying us along in this administration; he facilitated 100 employment slots for unemployed Arewa youths. He also gave 100 bags of rice to Arewa youths when he was sharing palliatives. We are not involved in the protest. No one should join the protest because there is something behind it. Nothing will happen, and Nigeria will be great. Let us have a little patience with the president, he appealed.

Other key stakeholders at the meeting also took their turns to appeal to Nigerians to dismiss the notion of protest and embrace safer alternatives to express their concerns.,”We’re feeling the hardship together but Mr. President is making frantic effort to banish hardship, and let’s trust him. We shall laugh soon. After hardship is ease by His Grace.

Also in attendance were Comrade Akeem Babalola, Comrade Oladele Babayemi, Hon. Adebayo Ademola (Oyo State Market Youth Leader), Com Omosuga, Barr. Ige Akinsola, Comrade Adeleke Olanrewaju, Comrade Oladele Babayemi, and Comrade Simeon Ochete (Igede Youth Leader), Alhaja Adebisi Folashade (Penkelemess Global Rally), Comrade Quadri Abdul-Salam (Oyo State Chairman, National Youth Council of Nigeria), Comrade Lateef (Supreme Forum of Yoruba Youth), among many others.