Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has revealed that he persuaded Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, to publicly thank President Bola Tinubu and reaffirm his support for the President after winning the August 15 governorship election.
Wike said the move was part of a political strategy to weaken the opposition coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections, adding that he also advised Adeleke to present his Certificate of Return to Tinubu after receiving it.
The minister disclosed this on Wednesday during a media parley aired by Channels Television, while explaining his relationship with Adeleke and his decision not to campaign in Osun during the election.
Wike said his primary concern was whether Adeleke, who had previously told him that he supported Tinubu, would maintain that position if he emerged victorious in the election.
He said he contacted Adeleke while he was in Croatia and sought assurances that the governor would continue to support Tinubu if re-elected.
“My concern: if Adeleke wins, will he still support Mr. President? And I called him, because that’s my own interest. I called him, I said ‘Listen, you have told me you support Mr. President. Are you going to keep to it?’ He said he was going to keep to it. I said, ‘Okay.’
“I wished him good luck. I don’t need to go to Osun,” Wike said.
The FCT minister said he subsequently instructed Adeleke to publicly reaffirm his support for Tinubu and thank the President for what he described as a free and fair election.
“After that election, go and ask Adeleke. I told Adeleke, I called him when I was in Croatia. I said, ‘You told me you support Mr. President?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ ‘Now you have won, issue a statement. Issue a statement that you still will support Mr. President, and thanking him for a free and fair election,’” he said.
Wike added that he advised Adeleke to personally present his Certificate of Return to Tinubu after the election.
“I don’t need to call Mr. President ‘I want to…’ No, I don’t do that. It is my job,” he said.
Explaining the political calculation behind the move, Wike said he wanted to frustrate the efforts of the opposition coalition to gain political ground ahead of the 2027 elections.
“I don’t need to call Mr. President ‘I want to…’ No, I don’t do that. It is my job. What was that strategy? To knock off these people you call coalition coming to the… to come and curry favor, when Adeleke issued that statement, ADC withdrew,” Wike said.
Adeleke had, shortly after being declared winner of the election, publicly thanked Tinubu and disclosed that the President had called to congratulate him.
“And of course, I want to seize this opportunity to thank Mr. President. Mr. President has called me and he has congratulated me. And I thank you, Mr. President, for making sure democracy lives on, because you fought for it, Mr. President,” Adeleke had said.
The governor, who contested the election on the platform of the Accord Party, defeated the All Progressives Congress candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, according to the results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Adeleke polled 511,067 votes to defeat Oyebamiji, who scored 444,815 votes. He won 19 of the state’s 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji secured victory in 11.
