By Ghazali Ibrahim
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has said the All Progressives Congress (APC) could have defeated Governor Ademola Adeleke in the recently concluded Osun State governorship election if President Bola Tinubu had deployed the full political strength of the Federal Government.
Wike made the statement while commenting on the outcome of the August 15 election, which saw Adeleke of the Accord Party defeat the APC candidate, Bola Oyebamiji.
“If the President wanted to win Osun State election at all cost, I would have been there and we will win it, and there’s nothing the governor can do,” Wike said.
The former Rivers State governor maintained that the Federal Government did not deploy its full political influence during the election.
“There was no Federal might used in Osun. When you see the force and might of the Federal Government, you will know,” he added.
Adeleke won the election with 511,067 votes, defeating Oyebamiji, who polled 444,815 votes. The governor won in 19 local government areas, while the APC candidate secured 11.
Wike also suggested that Adeleke could have been a member of the APC if political circumstances had been different.
“Ordinarily, Adeleke would have been with APC if things had worked out well,” he said.
Despite the APC’s defeat in Osun, Wike expressed confidence in Tinubu’s chances in the 2027 presidential election, describing it as potentially easier for the President than the 2023 contest.
“2027 elections will be the easiest one for the President compared to 2023,” Wike said.
He further claimed that the opposition had been weakened ahead of the 2027 elections, saying, “This time around, opposition has been crippled, homeless, no feather.”
