Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has said Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party emerged victorious in the recent Osun State governorship election because President Bola Tinubu allowed the process to remain free and fair.
Wike made the statement on Tuesday while inspecting areas affected by flooding in the FCT, where he also dismissed claims that the Federal Government manipulated the August 15 election.
According to the minister, Adeleke’s victory demonstrated that the Tinubu administration did not use federal influence to prevent the opposition 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.
The former Rivers State governor also rejected claims that the Federal Government deployed its influence, commonly referred to as “federal might”, to determine the outcome of the poll.
Drawing from his own political experience, Wike said such claims 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.
Wike urged political analysts and observers to avoid treating the outcome of an off-cycle governorship election as a direct indication of what could happen during a presidential election.
Adeleke defeated the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, in the keenly contested election.
The incumbent secured **511,067 votes**, while Oyebamiji polled **444,815 votes**, giving Adeleke a winning margin of **66,252 votes**.
Adeleke won in 19 of Osun State’s 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji secured victory in the remaining 11.
Meanwhile, Wike also addressed the recurring flooding affecting parts of the FCT, cautioning against politicising the problem without examining its underlying causes.
He said both government authorities and residents had responsibilities in preventing flooding, while rejecting suggestions that poor residents were primarily responsible for structures built on waterways and other restricted areas.
According to the minister, several structures obstructing drainage channels were allegedly built by wealthy Nigerians and had existed for years before the current administration.
(The Sun)