Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), says he asked Ademola Adeleke, governor of Osun, to publicly reaffirm his support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election after winning the state’s governorship election.
Gatekeepers News reports that Wike spoke on Wednesday during his monthly media chat with selected journalists in Port Harcourt, where he discussed his relationships with governors across the country and his political strategy ahead of the 2027 elections.
Adeleke, who contested his re-election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), defeated Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the August 15 governorship election held across Osun State’s 30 local government areas.
The governor secured victory in 19 LGAs, while Oyebamiji won the remaining 11, giving Adeleke a margin of more than 60,000 votes.
Following the election, Tinubu congratulated Adeleke, describing his re-election as a “fitting assurance” that democracy would continue to flourish under his administration.
Adeleke later met with Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, where he presented his certificate of return to the president and thanked him for what he described as a “free and fair election.”
The governor and some of his allies, including his cousin, music star David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, also visited Wike at his Abuja residence to celebrate the electoral victory.
‘I CALLED ADELEKE FROM CROATIA’
Speaking during the media chat, Wike said he contacted Adeleke while he was outside Nigeria and reminded him of his commitment to support Tinubu’s second-term bid.
“On that election day, I was not in Nigeria. I was outside the country,” Wike said.
“After the Osun election, you can go on record and ask Adeleke. I called him when I was in Croatia. I said, you told me you would support Mr. President. He said, yes.
“I said, now you have won, issue a statement that you will still support Mr. President, thanking him for a free and fair election.
“He issued the statement. I also told him, Adeleke, when you receive your certificate of return, go and present it to Mr. President.”
Wike said his intervention was partly intended to prevent opposition groups, particularly the African Democratic Congress (ADC), from persuading Adeleke to join their political camp.
“Why was that strategy? To knock off these people you call opposition, coming to curry favour. When Adeleke issued that statement, ADC withdrew,” Wike said.
The minister said his primary concern after the Osun election was whether Adeleke would honour his earlier commitment to support Tinubu.
“My concern was, if Adeleke wins, will he still support Mr. President? That was my interest, so I called him,” Wike said.
“I said, listen, you have told me you will support Mr. President. Are you going to keep to it? He said he was going to keep to it. I wished him good luck.
“Anywhere I sit, my strategy, my thinking is: how will the president win this election?”
Wike’s comments come as political realignments intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections, with opposition parties and political coalitions seeking to expand their influence across the country.
Days after the Osun election, Wike had said Tinubu could have delivered victory for the APC in the state if the president had wanted to win the election “at all costs.”
