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Federal Capital Territory Minister (FCT) Nyesom Wike has said he instructed Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke to publicly thank President Bola Tinubu after his victory in the state’s governorship election.
Wike made the remarks on Wednesday while explaining his relationship with Adeleke during a media parley.
The FCT minister said he was concerned about whether Adeleke would maintain his support for Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election after securing re-election.
According to Wike, he called the Osun State Governor to ask whether he still stood by his earlier pledge to support the President.
Wike said he then instructed Adeleke to issue a public statement reaffirming his support for Tinubu and thanking 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 added that he did not need to personally inform Tinubu about the conversation because Adeleke subsequently issued the statement.
“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 move was part of a broader political strategy against opposition forces seeking to unseat Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress in the 2027 presidential election.
Adeleke, who contested the election on the platform of the Accord Party, publicly reaffirmed his support for Tinubu after he was declared winner.
He secured 511,067 votes to defeat Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress, who polled 444,815 votes.
FCT Minister Nyesom Wike says President Tinubu and Atiku Abubakar both face political hurdles in the 2027 election, and that regional support and campaign strategies will likely play a major role in the contest.
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