Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has explained why he asked Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke to publicly thank President Bola Ahmed Tinubu after winning the August 15 governorship election.
Wike disclosed this during a media parley on Wednesday, saying his intervention was linked to Adeleke’s earlier assurance that he would continue supporting Tinubu’s bid for another term in office.
According to the minister, he contacted Adeleke while he was in Croatia and specifically asked whether the governor would maintain his support for Tinubu if he succeeded in securing another term in Osun.
Wike said Adeleke confirmed that he would remain supportive of the President. He then wished the governor well and told him he did not need to travel to Osun for the election.
The minister said he subsequently gave Adeleke specific instructions on what to do after the election. He asked the governor to publicly reaffirm his support for Tinubu and thank the President for what Adeleke described as the conduct of a free and fair election.
Wike also said he advised Adeleke to present his Certificate of Return to Tinubu after receiving it from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Adeleke eventually followed through with both actions. Shortly after being declared winner, he thanked Tinubu and said the President had personally called to congratulate him on the outcome of the election. The governor credited the President with allowing democracy to prevail during the poll.
Adeleke later visited Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja and presented his Certificate of Return to the President. During the visit, he again expressed appreciation to Tinubu for what he described as his role in ensuring a free and fair election.
Wike said his intervention was part of a broader political strategy aimed at countering the influence of the opposition coalition that was seeking to establish itself ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The minister claimed that Adeleke’s public statement of support for Tinubu affected the political calculations surrounding the election, saying the African Democratic Congress (ADC) subsequently withdrew from the situation he was describing as a coalition effort. Wike’s account represents his explanation of the political strategy and its consequences.
Adeleke’s relationship with Tinubu has attracted attention because the governor contested the Osun election on the platform of the Accord Party, while Tinubu remains the leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Despite the difference in party affiliation, Adeleke has openly endorsed Tinubu for the 2027 presidential election.
The governor has also explained that his support for Tinubu was not based on a political agreement with the President. In an interview, Adeleke rejected suggestions that he had reached a deal with Tinubu, saying his support was based on the President’s performance and his desire to encourage him to continue his development efforts in the South-West.
The Osun election itself gave Adeleke another four-year mandate. He secured 511,067 votes, defeating the APC candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, who polled 444,815 votes. The governor won 19 of the state’s 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji won 11.
Tinubu congratulated Adeleke after the result was announced, saying the outcome reflected the confidence Osun voters had placed in the governor. The President also commended the electoral process and urged Adeleke to use his second term to unite residents regardless of their political affiliations.
The sequence of events has therefore given Adeleke’s post-election relationship with Tinubu an added political dimension. What initially appeared to be a simple expression of appreciation following an election victory was later explained by Wike as part of a deliberate effort to reinforce Adeleke’s stated support for the President ahead of the 2027 political contest.
However, Adeleke’s own explanation differs in emphasis. While he has publicly supported Tinubu, he has said there was no agreement between them and that his position was based on his assessment of the President’s performance.
The contrasting explanations highlight the political significance of Adeleke’s position as an opposition-party governor who has nevertheless maintained an open relationship with the President and endorsed his 2027 ambition.
For now, Adeleke remains governor of Osun State following his re-election, while his continued support for Tinubu is likely to remain an important feature of the political calculations surrounding the 2027 elections.
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