FCT Minister Nyesom Wike declares Osun Governor Ademola Adeleke part of his camp loyal to President Tinubu, triggering a fresh crisis for the PDP national leadership following Adeleke’s Accord Party victory.
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, announced on Friday that newly re-elected Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, belongs to his political camp and is fully loyal to President Bola Tinubu.
The declaration comes immediately after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) presented Adeleke with his Certificate of Return following his victory in the August 15, 2026, Osun State governorship election. Adeleke secured 511,067 votes to defeat the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, who polled 444,815 votes, while African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate Najeem Salaam finished third with 17,180 votes.
Building the 2027 Presidential Coalition
Speaking to journalists during an Abuja project inspection, Wike framed Adeleke’s recent visits to the Presidential Villa and his own Abuja office as definitive proof of a shifting political landscape ahead of the 2027 general elections. Adeleke presented his Certificate of Return directly to both the President and the FCT Minister during the visits.
Wike predicted that the upcoming presidential race would feature deep, unprecedented political realignments. He noted that multiple political blocs are actively moving to solidify a massive coalition centered around President Tinubu.
“Adeleke is fully supporting Mr. President,” Wike stated, indicating that conversations behind closed doors have solidified their strategic alignment. “And so, we went to bed last night and encouraged ourselves to continue. In the next few weeks, watch what is going to happen. You will see a larger rainbow coalition in this country supporting Mr. President.”
Wike Dismisses ADC Claims and Dele Momodu
The FCT Minister sharply criticized members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and veteran publisher Dele Momodu. Wike accused them of attempting to take unearned credit for Adeleke’s electoral success in Osun State.
“I have told ADC who are talking about, oh, they helped Adeleke to win, they just wanted to go ahead and harvest what they never planted,” Wike said.
Turning his attention to Momodu’s public media appearances and reported backing of the ADC, Wike dismissed the efforts as politically ineffective. “I don’t know where Dele Momodu will be now. Every time you see him on television, he was born in Ife thinking that will make Adeleke come to your side,” he added.
The Road to 2027 Remains Unconcluded
Rejecting narrative claims that the 2027 political battle lines are already set in stone, the former Rivers State governor emphasized that the political map is still fluid and evolving.
“You will see more,” Wike concluded. “And that’s why I said, the election is not concluded. It’s not concluded. Adeleke belongs to us, and we all belong to Mr. President.”
The swift post-election movements by Governor Adeleke underscore how heavily local state elections are fueling broader, national calculations for the 2027 presidency.
Opposition Fallout from Adeleke’s Accord Party Realignment
The open alignment of Governor Adeleke with the Wike and Tinubu axis deals a massive strategic blow to the mainstream opposition, particularly the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). Following Adeleke’s high-profile defection from the PDP to the Accord Party to secure his re-election, the PDP found itself entirely missing from the ballot during the August 15 polls.
Adeleke’s victory under the Accord Party banner was supposed to establish a distinct, independent power base in the South-West geopolitical zone. However, by presenting his Certificate of Return to Wike—a heavily estranged PDP member working openly inside the APC-led federal cabinet—Adeleke signals that his political machinery is shifting directly into Tinubu’s federal orbit.
This development triggers an existential crisis for opposition forces attempting to rebuild ahead of the 2027 general elections. With the Accord Party’s sole sitting governor actively moving toward the ruling presidency, the traditional opposition blocs find their structures hollowed out from within before a unified nationwide campaign can even begin.
📊 Osun State Election Data Summary
| Candidate |
Political Party |
Final Vote Count |
Election Status |
| Ademola Adeleke |
Accord Party (A) |
511,067 |
Declared Winner |
| Bola Oyebamiji |
All Progressives Congress (APC) |
444,815 |
Runner-up |
| Najeem Salaam |
African Democratic Congress (ADC) |
17,180 |
Third Place |
