APC Leaders Pay Tribute to Late Ajimobi at Fidau Prayer in Ibadan

(Adebayo Adelabu. People Gazette Nigeria)

Former Minister of Power and All Progressives Congress governorship aspirant in Oyo State, Adebayo Adelabu, has described his personal relationship with the late former Governor Abiola Ajimobi as that of a son to a father, calling him a magnetised leader who provided clear direction and mentorship.

Adelabu spoke on Thursday on the sidelines of the sixth-year Fidau prayer held in honour of the late former governor at his private residence in Oluyole Estate, Ibadan South-West Local Government Area of the state.

He noted that under Ajimobi's watch, the Oyo State chapter of the APC was rock-solid, united, and free from the internal fragmentation the party is currently experiencing.

He also disclosed that it was Ajimobi's style of governance and politics that first drew him into the political arena.

"I entered into politics through his influence. It was his style of governance and his style of politics that attracted me to join politics. My personal relationship with the late former governor was that of a son to a father," he said.

Adelabu praised Ajimobi as a well-prepared administrator who confronted challenges head-on, particularly in the areas of security, infrastructure, and education.

Recalling his time as Chairman of the Oyo State Security Trust Fund, he commended the robust security framework Ajimobi established, saying the late governor's body language was that Oyo should be crime-free and that he achieved it.

He urged party members to look beyond individual aspirations, embrace reconciliation, and work collectively to unseat the current Peoples Democratic Party government in the state come 2027.

Former Secretary to the State Government, Olalekan Ali, also appealed for a collective commitment to reforming and repositioning the party.

He called on all aggrieved factions to set aside grievances, embrace compromise, and recognise that no individual can override divine will in determining political outcomes.

"Let us very strongly appeal to everyone within the state in general, and within APC Oyo in particular.

Let us all come together as members of the same family and be patient enough to resolve what's on ground," he said.

Senator representing Oyo North, Abdulfatai Buhari, described Ajimobi as a principled and straightforward go-getter who never shied away from speaking hard truths.

He acknowledged that his own political journey was heavily shaped by Ajimobi's mentorship, while admitting that the party is currently grappling with deep internal crises that would require genuine courage and sincerity to resolve.

In his sermon, the Chief Imam of Oluyole Estate Extension, Mudathir Bada, described the gathering as both a celebration of the late governor's life and a reminder for all to maintain the fear of God, noting that such reverence gives life its truest meaning.

The event was attended by family members, political associates, friends, and public officeholders from across the country.