I completed mansion before my appointment — Power Minister responds to viral allegations

Nigeria’s Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, has refuted claims suggesting he built a luxury mansion within two years of assuming office. The allegations, originally made by an online media outlet, were based on a viral video that accused the minister of funding an extravagant lifestyle through corrupt means.

In a statement released by his media aide, Femi Awogboro, Chief Adelabu described the report as false, misleading, and deliberately intended to damage his reputation.

He clarified that the construction of the said mansion began in November 2021 and was completed in August 2023, a month before his appointment as Minister of Power in September 2023.

To support his claim, the minister provided dated photographs, building approvals, and relevant documents detailing the construction timeline.

Chief Adelabu further explained that he is a well-known investor in real estate, agriculture, and hospitality, with established projects in Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State, and other locations.

“I began and completed this project before my appointment,” he said. “I only moved into the property this year due to work-related scheduling and time constraints.”

He noted that public interest in the property intensified after a viral video captured his hosting of Fuji musician Alhaji Wasiu Alabi Pasuma, following the Ibadan North Federal Constituency by-election campaign flag-off.

Adelabu also revealed that he has lived in the same area since 2010, when he built and publicly unveiled the original structure during his time as a senior executive in the banking and finance sector. The current mansion, he explained, is a redevelopment of the earlier property, carried out 12 years later to better suit his growing political responsibilities.

“People familiar with my background are aware of my longstanding contributions to hospitality and real estate development,” he added. “These ventures have created employment opportunities and supported local economies.”

Describing the publication by Sahara Reporters as “baseless,” Adelabu called it a failed attempt to discredit him and, by extension, the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

He has demanded a retraction of the report and warned that failure to comply could result in legal action.