By Simon Ochete, Leader, Igede Progressive Movement, Ibadan
“I still remain loyal to my principal, Chief Adebayo Adelabu. Adelabu is our man.”
With those words, Simon Ochete, leader of the Igede Progressive Movement in Ibadan, has made his position unmistakably clear as political calculations continue to intensify ahead of the 2027 governorship contest in Oyo State.
According to Ochete, his loyalty to Chief Adebayo Adelabu remains unwavering, while the Igede political bloc aligned with the former minister is carefully waiting for his next political move before deciding where its support will go.
“We await his next political trajectory and psychology in the scheme of things for Oyo politics,” Ochete said.
At the centre of Ochete’s position is his dissatisfaction with the manner in which Adelabu was allegedly treated during the party’s primary process.
Ochete argued that justice did not prevail and accused the party leadership of choosing what he described as impunity over internal democracy, insisting that the wishes of aspirants and party members should not simply be discarded through an imposed arrangement.
His most pointed question remains:
“Where are the results of our primaries which we voted him for?”
For Ochete, the issue is not simply about who eventually emerged as the party’s preferred candidate. It is about whether the process through which that candidate emerged was transparent, credible and consistent with the expectations of party members.
He questioned why the leadership, in his view, had not made the results of the primary process available, arguing that the inability or unwillingness to produce such results only deepens suspicion among supporters.
“The leadership cannot bring out the results because their vague consensus candidate did not win in real terms as dictated by the Electoral Act, but resorted to imposing him,” he alleged.
These claims represent Ochete’s political position and allegations; they should not be interpreted as an independently established finding of fact.
Nevertheless, his statement reflects the broader tensions that can emerge within political parties when competing ambitions, consensus arrangements and primary elections collide.
For the Igede community in Oyo State, Ochete said the situation has produced a clear political position.
He maintained that the faction of the Igede people that is predominantly aligned with Adelabu has not developed the conviction to follow any alternative candidate at this stage.
“We are only banking on Adelabu for the next steps to take,” he declared.
The significance of this position could become clearer as the 2027 political calculations in Oyo State evolve. Adelabu remains a prominent figure in the state’s political landscape, having previously contested the governorship election and subsequently served as Minister of Power before leaving the federal cabinet to pursue his political ambitions in Oyo.
For his supporters, therefore, the next question is no longer simply whether Adelabu remains politically relevant. It is what political direction he will choose and how his supporters will respond to that direction.
For now, Ochete's message is unequivocal: the Igede bloc aligned with Adelabu is not ready to move on.
They are waiting.
They are watching.
And, most importantly, they are waiting for Adelabu’s next move before deciding theirs.
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