A prominent member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ayekooto Akindele, has stirred controversy by linking the shortcomings of former Power Minister Adebayo Adelabu to the alleged fraudulent activities of his predecessor, Saleh Mamman. According to Akindele, the challenges faced by Adelabu during his tenure were a direct consequence of the problems created by Mamman.
Adelabu recently stepped down from his position in President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet to focus on his gubernatorial campaign. His leadership was widely criticized due to the persistent poor power supply across Nigeria. Akindele, however, argues that the criticism was misplaced, as Adelabu spent the better part of two years trying to resolve issues stemming from Mamman’s tenure.
Mamman is currently in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) following his arrest in Kaduna State on Tuesday. He is accused of money laundering and fraud totaling N33.8 billion, allegedly linked to the diversion of funds from the Mambilla and Zungeru hydropower projects.
In a post on his official X handle, Akindele wrote, “While some gullible haters of Adelabu tagged him ‘OLOKUNKUN-BIRIMU,’ one of the actual people who caused the problem that Adelabu was solving for over two years has just been captured by the EFCC.” The remark suggests that the public perception of Adelabu as a failure may have been unfair, given the scale of misconduct he inherited.
The arrest of Mamman has reignited discussions about corruption in Nigeria’s power sector, with many calling for thorough investigations to bring all perpetrators to justice. The EFCC has yet to release further details on the case, but the development has provided some vindication for Adelabu’s supporters.