Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike said in Abuja on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu deserves credit for allowing a free and fair process that enabled Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke to win the August 15 governorship election.

Wike made the claim while speaking during an inspection of flood-affected areas in the Federal Capital Territory, where he also defended the Federal Government against allegations that it used its influence to manipulate the Osun poll.

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The minister said Adeleke’s victory was evidence that the Tinubu administration had not deployed federal power to prevent an opposition-backed candidate from winning.

“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.

Adeleke, who contested under the Accord Party, secured 511,067 votes to defeat All Progressives Congress candidate Bola Oyebamiji, who polled 444,815 votes.

The 66,252-vote margin secured Adeleke a second term as governor.

The result was particularly notable because the election was closely watched as a test of the ruling APC’s influence ahead of the 2027 general election.

Preliminary reporting during the collation showed Adeleke maintaining a lead as results were uploaded to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s IReV portal.

Adeleke eventually won 19 of Osun’s 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji carried 11, according to the published results.

Wike rejected suggestions that the outcome demonstrated federal interference in favour of the ruling party, drawing on his own political experience to argue that claims about the use of federal might should not be accepted without 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.

The FCT Minister’s intervention comes at a politically significant moment for Tinubu, whose administration is already facing intense attention over the 2027 presidential contest.

Wike also urged political observers to avoid treating an off-season governorship election as a direct predictor of the outcome of a presidential election.

The political dynamics of Osun, he argued, should not automatically be applied to a nationwide contest.

The Osun election itself carried considerable political weight.

The state has a history of closely fought governorship contests, including the 2022 election in which Adeleke defeated the then incumbent APC candidate, Gboyega Oyetola. The contest was later challenged in court before Adeleke ultimately retained the governorship.

The 2026 result therefore extends a striking electoral pattern in Osun, where the governorship has changed hands between the major parties and produced closely watched contests.

Wike’s comments also underline the unusual political circumstances surrounding Adeleke’s latest victory.

While the governor emerged victorious against the APC candidate, President Tinubu reportedly congratulated Adeleke after the result, a gesture Wike presented as evidence of the Federal Government’s willingness to accept the outcome.

Beyond the election, Wike used his appearance in Abuja to address the recurring flooding affecting parts of the capital.

The minister cautioned against reducing the flooding problem to political criticism, arguing that both government authorities and residents have responsibilities in preventing the obstruction of waterways and drainage channels.

Wike also rejected the suggestion that only poor residents were responsible for structures built around waterways, arguing that wealthy Nigerians were among those who had constructed buildings in restricted areas over the years.

The minister’s comments on Osun are likely to attract further attention as political parties and potential presidential contenders prepare for 2027.

For Tinubu, the Osun result provides an opportunity to point to the acceptance of an opposition victory as evidence of democratic tolerance.

For the opposition, however, the result remains a significant demonstration that the APC can be defeated at state level despite the strength of the Federal Government.

Ultimately, the 2027 presidential election will involve a different electorate, wider political alliances and a national contest.

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Wike’s central argument is that the Osun result should be judged on its own circumstances rather than treated as a definitive preview of what lies ahead.