BY MAHMOUD MUHAMMAD, ABUJA
*What went down*
During the 10th coronation anniversary of the Ooni of Ife on Dec 6, 2025, Governor Ademola Adeleke took the stage to speak and, in his usual flamboyant style, started singing. First Lady Remi Tinubu walked up, told him “I’m giving you five minutes to finish your speech. The music is enough,” and when he kept singing she warned, “I will turn off the microphone.” The exchange was caught on video, went viral, and sparked a massive social‑media firestorm.
*Why it turned into a rift*
– *Political timing* – Just two days later Adeleke announced he was leaving the PDP and joining the Accord Party, saying the PDP’s internal crises made it impossible to stay. Many observers linked his sudden defection to the public embarrassment he suffered on stage.
– *Party‑switch narrative* – Adeleke’s camp framed the move as a response to PDP factionalism, while PDP leaders accused him of “sabotaging the party at a critical election moment” .
– *Cultural‑protocol clash* – Some commentators saw the First Lady’s intervention as a breach of Yoruba _omoluabi_ etiquette, arguing that a non‑elected figure shouldn’t publicly rebuke a sitting governor. Others defended Remi, saying she was simply trying to keep the program on schedule.
– *Underlying political differences* – The incident came amid broader tensions over the APC’s “Muslim‑Muslim” ticket and Remi’s own church‑related controversies, which had already created friction with some Christian constituents .
So, the rift isn’t just about a mic being turned off; it’s a collision of personalities, party politics, and cultural expectations that happened to explode on a very public stage.
Contact indagi3792@gmail.com
Editor-in-Chief
+2347060766191
Editor at large
+234 703 655 8891
About The Author
