The Imole Campaign Council has rejected reports that Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, is considering leaving the Accord Party for the All Progressives Congress, APC, following his recent meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The council said Adeleke’s visit to the President was a normal political courtesy after the conclusion of an off-cycle election and had nothing to do with any plan to join the ruling party.
In a statement issued on Friday, August 21, by the Chairman of the Media and Publicity Committee of the Imole Campaign Council, Bamidele Salam, the council said the governor’s visit was consistent with political tradition.
“The Imole Campaign Council wishes to state that the visit by Osun State Governor, Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke to His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu yesterday is in line with customs and political tradition at the conclusion of off cycle elections in Nigeria,” the statement said.
The council said Adeleke, having won the recently concluded Osun governorship election, was expected to pay his respects to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.
It added that Tinubu had repeatedly advocated a free and fair election in Osun State and called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and security agencies to ensure a credible electoral process.
“The visit also afforded Mr President, as the father of the Nation and the Osun State Governor, a platform to discuss issues pertaining to peace, security and progress of Osun State after the tensed election,” the statement added.
READ ALSO: Adeleke Urges Osun Residents To Heal, Unite After Re-Election
The council also addressed speculation that the meeting was an indication that Adeleke was preparing to defect to the APC, dismissing the claim as unfounded.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the visit of Mr Governor and top members of his Campaign team had absolutely nothing to do with a plan to move from Accord to the All Progressives Congress as being insinuated in certain quarters,” the statement said.
The council further stressed: “We wish to state unequivocally that at no stage during the visit to Mr President was the issue of decamping to the APC discussed.”
Adeleke visited Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Thursday, days after securing a second term in the August 15 governorship election. He was accompanied by the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
The meeting was Adeleke’s first publicly known engagement with Tinubu since his electoral victory.
It also came after the President congratulated him by telephone, describing the election result as “a fitting assurance that democracy will continue to flourish in our country.”
The Imole Campaign Council assured Adeleke’s supporters that the governor remains focused on governance and committed to serving the people of Osun State.