Re-elected Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has denied reaching any political agreement with President Bola Tinubu over his support for the President’s bid for a second term in the 2027 presidential election.
Adeleke said his backing of Tinubu was based on the President’s Yoruba and South-West background and his desire to encourage Tinubu to continue with development projects in the region.
The governor made the clarification during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics.
Adeleke and Tinubu have maintained a cordial relationship despite belonging to rival political parties, with the Osun governor making visits to the President and Tinubu also engaging with him.
Following Adeleke’s re-election, he renewed his support for Tinubu’s 2027 ambition. The endorsement, however, attracted reactions from some Nigerians who questioned the political relationship between the two leaders.
Asked whether his support was based on a political or personal agreement, particularly after Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo described it as “agreement,” Adeleke said:
“No, I never reached agreement with Mr President.”
He explained that his support was mainly because Tinubu is a Yoruba man from the South-West and because he wanted the President to continue development projects in the region.
“My support is just based on, he’s a Yoruba man, and he’s from the South-West.”
Adeleke said he believed Tinubu should be given another opportunity to continue his reforms and projects, particularly federal road projects across the South-West.
When asked if he would support Tinubu fully in the 2027 presidential election, Adeleke responded:
“Big time, I will.”
The governor also said he was willing to work with members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), including his defeated Osun election opponent, Bola Oyebamiji, and former governor Gboyega Oyetola, if that was necessary to support Tinubu.
“As long as it’s … I’m doing it for Mr. President. So I wouldn’t mind; I will work with them.”
Adeleke added that he would support Tinubu in whatever capacity the President requires when the 2027 campaign begins.
“Whatever how he wants me to come in, I will do it.”
His comments followed Keyamo’s earlier praise of Adeleke for publicly reaffirming his support for Tinubu.
In a post on X, Keyamo described Adeleke as “a man of integrity and honour” and wrote:
“Agreement is agreement.”
Adeleke secured re-election in the Osun governorship election with 511,067 votes, defeating APC candidate Bola Oyebamiji, who scored 444,815 votes. ADC candidate Najeem Salaam came third with 17,180 votes.
The governor won 19 of Osun’s 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji won 11.
Source: Channels Television
