Wike Reveals Secret Request to Adeleke After His Osun Election Victory

FCT Minister 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 made the disclosure on Wednesday during a media parley aired by Channels Television, while explaining his relationship with Adeleke and his position during the Osun governorship election.

The minister said his main concern before the election was whether Adeleke, who had told him that he supported Tinubu, would maintain that position if he emerged victorious.

According to Wike, he called Adeleke while he was in Croatia to confirm whether the governor would continue supporting Tinubu if he won 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.’”

Wike said he subsequently wished Adeleke well and decided not to travel to Osun State for the election.

“I wished him good luck. I don’t need to go to Osun.”

After Adeleke was declared the winner, Wike said he contacted the governor again and asked him to publicly reaffirm his support for Tinubu while thanking the President for what he described as a free and fair election.

“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.”

The FCT minister also revealed that he asked Adeleke to present his Certificate of Return to Tinubu after receiving the document.

“I also told him, ‘Adeleke, when you receive your Certificate of Return, go and present it to Mr. President.’”

Wike explained that his actions were part of what he described as a political strategy to counter the opposition coalition seeking to gain influence ahead of the 2027 general elections.

He said Adeleke’s public statement of support for Tinubu subsequently affected the political calculations of the coalition.

“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.”

Adeleke contested the Osun governorship election on the platform of the Accord Party and defeated the All Progressives Congress candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, according to the results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

Adeleke secured 511,067 votes, while Oyebamiji polled 444,815 votes.

The governor won in 19 of Osun State’s 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji won 11.

Following his victory, Adeleke publicly acknowledged 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.

Wike’s latest revelation provides further insight into the political manoeuvring surrounding the Osun election and the alliances being formed ahead of the 2027 elections.