Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has revealed that he asked Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, to publicly thank President Bola Tinubu after winning the August 15 governorship election.
Wike disclosed this during a media parley aired on Channels Television on Wednesday, while explaining his relationship with Adeleke and his stance during the Osun governorship election.
The minister said his major concern was whether Adeleke, who had previously told him that he supported Tinubu, would maintain his position if he emerged victorious in the election.
According to Wike, he contacted Adeleke while he was in Croatia and asked whether he would continue supporting the President after winning the election.
“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 issue a public statement reaffirming his support for Tinubu and thanking the President for what he described as ensuring 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 also advised Adeleke to present his Certificate of Return to Tinubu after receiving it from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“I don’t need to go and tell anybody. I don’t need to go and tell Mr President. I don’t need to. He issued a statement. I also told him, ‘Adeleke, when you receive your Certificate of Return, go and present it to Mr President,’” Wike said.
The minister explained that his actions were part of a political strategy aimed at weakening the opposition coalition seeking greater influence ahead of the 2027 general 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… to come and curry favour, when Adeleke issued that statement, ADC withdrew,” he said.
Adeleke, who contested the election on the platform of the Accord Party, defeated the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, according to results declared by INEC.
Shortly after being declared the winner, Adeleke 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 said.
Adeleke secured 511,067 votes to defeat Oyebamiji, who polled 444,815 votes. The incumbent won in 19 of Osun State’s 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji won 11.
