NEWS
Nysome Wike: Adeleke’s Osun Victory Shows Tinubu Allowed Free, Fair Election
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has said the victory of Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party in the August 15 Osun State governorship election is clear evidence that President Bola Tinubu allowed the electoral process to remain free and fair.
Wike made the assertion on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, while inspecting areas affected by flooding in the Federal Capital Territory. The minister also dismissed allegations that the Federal Government deployed its influence to manipulate the outcome of the closely contested election.
According to Wike, Adeleke’s victory would not have been possible if the Tinubu administration had sought to use federal power to influence the outcome of the poll in favour of the ruling party.
“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 former Rivers State governor argued that the election provided a practical demonstration that opposition candidates could still win elections under the present administration when they have the support of voters.
Wike particularly rejected claims that what is commonly described in Nigerian politics as “federal might” was used to determine the outcome of the Osun election.
Drawing from his own political experiences, the minister said allegations of federal interference should not be accepted merely on the basis of speculation or political narratives without concrete evidence.
“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.
He also cautioned political commentators against interpreting the result of an off-cycle governorship election as a direct predictor of the outcome of a future presidential election.
The Osun governorship election was keenly contested between the incumbent governor, Ademola Adeleke, and the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Bola Oyebamiji.
Adeleke emerged victorious after securing 511,067 votes, while Oyebamiji polled 444,815 votes, giving the incumbent a winning margin of 66,252 votes.
The result saw Adeleke win in 19 of Osun State’s 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji carried the remaining 11 local government areas.
Beyond the political debate surrounding the election, Wike also used the inspection of flood-affected areas in the FCT to address the recurring problem of flooding in parts of the nation’s capital.
The minister cautioned against politicising flooding without paying attention to the environmental and structural factors contributing to the problem. He maintained that both government authorities and residents have responsibilities in preventing and managing flooding.
Wike also pushed back against suggestions that low-income residents were largely responsible for buildings and structures obstructing waterways and drainage channels.
According to him, several structures allegedly built on waterways, drainage corridors and other restricted areas were linked to wealthy Nigerians and had existed for many years before the current administration came into office.
His comments therefore placed the flooding challenge within a broader discussion about urban planning, enforcement of development regulations and the responsibility of property owners and government agencies to protect drainage infrastructure.
The minister’s remarks on both the Osun election and flooding come amid wider debates over political influence, electoral credibility and governance under the Tinubu administration.