Why Adeleke Won Osun Governorship Election – Wike
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has attributed Governor Ademola Adeleke’s victory in the August 15 Osun State governorship election to President Bola Tinubu’s decision to allow the poll to be conducted freely and fairly.
Wike made the assertion on Tuesday while speaking during an inspection tour of flood-affected areas in the Federal Capital Territory.
Reacting to allegations that the Federal Government manipulated the election in favour of the ruling All Progressives Congress, the minister dismissed the claims, saying the outcome demonstrated that the Tinubu administration allowed the democratic process to run its course.
According to Wike, the President’s decision to congratulate Adeleke after the election was evidence that the Federal Government did not deploy its influence to undermine the opposition.
“The President called him… congratulating him (Adeleke). What does it tell you? If Tinubu did not allow a free and fair election, would they have won? No!” Wike said.
The minister also rejected claims that federal might was used to influence the outcome of elections, drawing on his experience in previous electoral contests.
“When you say force of the federal government… ask those who have survived it, though—people like me who survived federal might. It’s not by saying ‘they say, they say.’ It’s not true,” he said.
Wike urged political analysts and observers to distinguish between off-season governorship elections and presidential contests, cautioning against using the outcome of a state election as a direct predictor of future presidential elections.
His comments followed Adeleke’s victory over the APC candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, in the Osun governorship election.
Adeleke secured 511,067 votes against Oyebamiji’s 444,815, winning by a margin of 66,252 votes.
The incumbent governor won in 19 of the state’s 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji prevailed in 11.
Wike speaks on FCT flooding
Wike also addressed the recurring flooding in parts of the FCT, urging residents and critics to focus on the underlying causes of the problem rather than politicising the situation.
He said some critics had used the recent flooding to attack the administration without acknowledging its achievements in other areas.
The minister maintained that both government agencies and residents had responsibilities to play in preventing and mitigating flooding.
He also rejected suggestions that poor residents were responsible for major encroachments on waterways and other restricted areas.
According to him, several structures obstructing drainage channels were erected by wealthy Nigerians and had existed for years before the current administration.
Wike said addressing the flooding challenge therefore required enforcement of planning regulations and the removal of structures obstructing waterways, rather than shifting responsibility to vulnerable residents.
