FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has said President Bola Tinubu could have used the influence of the Federal Government to prevent Ademola Adeleke from winning the recent Osun State governorship election if he had chosen to do so.
Wike made the comment while defending the conduct of the election, insisting that the poll was allowed to proceed without the use of federal power to influence the outcome.
He said that if Tinubu had been determined to secure victory for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun at all costs, he would have personally been involved in the effort and believed the result would have been different.
Wike’s comments came amid reactions to Adeleke’s victory and suggestions that the election represented a setback for the President and the APC.
The minister, however, rejected that interpretation, arguing that the Osun election should not be viewed simply as a contest between Adeleke and the Federal Government.
He maintained that political parties naturally make efforts to win elections, but insisted that there was no evidence that federal power was deployed to influence the Osun result.
Wike also questioned claims by opposition politicians that the result demonstrated growing strength for an opposition coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections.
His comments have generated fresh political debate as parties and political leaders continue to assess the implications of the Osun election for the wider political landscape.
The minister also predicted that President Tinubu would face a less difficult challenge in the 2027 presidential election compared with the 2023 contest, citing what he described as divisions within the opposition.
Wike’s position is expected to fuel further discussion about the relationship between federal influence, state elections and the political calculations ahead of 2027.
