The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has said Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party won the recent Osun State governorship election because President Bola Tinubu allowed the poll to be conducted freely and fairly.
Wike made the statement on Tuesday while speaking during an inspection tour of flood-affected areas in the Federal Capital Territory.
Reacting to the August 15 governorship election in Osun, Wike dismissed claims that the Federal Government manipulated the poll, saying Tinubu allowed the democratic process to take its course.
According to The Nation, the minister said the election outcome showed that the Federal Government did not use its influence to undermine the opposition.
“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 minister also rejected claims that federal might was used to influence the election, drawing on his own experience of previous electoral contests.
“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 observers to distinguish between off-season governorship elections and presidential contests, arguing that the outcome of a governorship poll should not automatically be viewed as an indication of what could happen in a presidential election.
Adeleke defeated the All Progressives Congress candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, in the Osun governorship election.
Adeleke polled 511,067 votes against Oyebamiji’s 444,815, giving the incumbent a winning margin of 66,252 votes.
Adeleke won in 19 of the state’s 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji secured 11.
Wike addresses FCT flooding
Wike also addressed recurring flooding in parts of the FCT, saying the issue should not be politicised without examining its underlying causes.
The minister said some critics had used the recent flooding to attack the administration rather than acknowledge its achievements in other areas.
He added that both government officials and residents had roles to play in preventing flooding and addressing factors that contribute to the problem.
Wike also rejected suggestions that poor residents were responsible for major structural encroachments on waterways and other restricted areas.
According to him, many of the structures obstructing drainage channels were built by wealthy Nigerians and had existed for years before the current administration.
