The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has said President Bola Tinubu deliberately refrained from deploying the influence of the Federal Government during the August 15 Osun State governorship election, insisting the election was allowed to proceed without federal interference.
According to Metro Daily, Wike made the remarks on Tuesday while inspecting flood-prone areas in Maitama, Abuja.
The former Rivers State governor stated that if President Tinubu had wanted the All Progressives Congress (APC) to win the election “at all costs,” the outcome would have been different.
“If the President had wanted to win the Osun State election at all costs, I would have been there, and we would have won it, and there’s nothing the governor can do,” Wike said.
Governor Ademola Adeleke, who contested the election on the platform of the Accord Party, was declared the winner after polling 511,067 votes, defeating the APC candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, who secured 444,815 votes. The African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Najeem Salaam, finished third with 17,180 votes.
Wike argued that the outcome of the election demonstrated that the Federal Government did not use what is commonly referred to as “federal might” to influence the electoral process.
“There was no federal might used in Osun. When you see the force and might of the Federal Government, you will know,” he added.
The FCT Minister also suggested that Governor Adeleke could have become a member of the APC under different political circumstances.
“Ordinarily, Adeleke would have been with the APC if things had worked out well,” Wike stated.
Speaking further, Wike expressed confidence that President Tinubu would face a less challenging contest in the 2027 presidential election, citing what he described as the weakened state of opposition political parties.
According to Sahara Reporters, Wike said the opposition had become fragmented and would struggle to mount a formidable challenge in the next general election.
“This time around, the opposition has been crippled, homeless, no feather,” he said.
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