Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has reaffirmed his endorsement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election, declaring that he would not reverse his decision after giving his word of support.
Adeleke made the declaration on Sunday in Osogbo when he received the National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, Ajibola Basiru, and other prominent members of the party at the Osun State Government House.
The governor explained that his support for Tinubu was based on a commitment he had made and maintained, stressing that he was not known for making promises he could not keep.
According to Adeleke, he had previously supported Tinubu’s preferred candidates for the leadership positions of the National Assembly despite political interests pulling lawmakers in different directions.
He recalled that Tinubu’s Chief of Staff had contacted him to seek his support for Senator Godswill Akpabio as Senate President and Tajudeen Abbas as Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Adeleke said he subsequently contacted lawmakers from Osun State and persuaded them to support the President’s preferred candidates.
He said the experience demonstrated his willingness to honour political commitments once his word had been given.
“A lot of people thought it was politicking when I endorsed Mr President,” Adeleke said, adding that he did not make empty promises and would not go back on his commitment.
The governor also recalled Tinubu’s response during a period when the Osun State Government’s account was frozen by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission shortly before the August 15 governorship election.
Adeleke said the President had shown empathy during the difficult period, further reinforcing his decision to maintain his support for Tinubu.
He urged political stakeholders in Osun State to put their differences aside and work together for the development of the state.
The governor’s latest declaration comes after his recent victory in the Osun governorship election, where he secured 511,067 votes to defeat the All Progressives Congress candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, who polled 444,815 votes.
Speaking after his meeting with Adeleke, Basiru said the governor’s endorsement went beyond merely expressing support, claiming that Adeleke had also agreed to campaign for Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Basiru said the political cooperation between Adeleke’s Accord Party and the APC could potentially deliver as many as 1.5 million votes for Tinubu in Osun State.
He based the projection on the performance of the two political forces during the recent governorship election, arguing that their combined strength could significantly increase Tinubu’s support in the state.
“The governor, as I also said, not only endorsed, he will also be on the field to campaign vigorously for President Bola Tinubu,” Basiru said.
He added that the APC’s performance in the governorship election, combined with the support of the Accord Party, provided a basis for the party to target about 1.5 million votes for Tinubu.
Basiru was accompanied on the visit by former Deputy Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Adegboye Akintunde; the Osun APC Assistant State Secretary, Waheed Adediran; and former member of the Osun State House of Assembly, Adeoye Adelakun.
The APC National Secretary said his visit had three purposes: to appreciate Adeleke for visiting his family and attending his late mother’s burial, congratulate him on his governorship victory and thank him for endorsing Tinubu.
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Basiru noted that Adeleke had defeated the APC candidate in the governorship election, but said the outcome should not prevent political actors from working together in the interest of Osun State.
He urged members of the APC to close ranks and cooperate with Adeleke to secure victory for Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
The development represents an unusual political alignment ahead of the 2027 election, with Adeleke, a governor who recently secured another term in office, openly backing Tinubu despite the President being the leader of the APC.
Adeleke has previously reaffirmed his support for Tinubu, indicating that the endorsement was not affected by political disagreements or developments within Osun State.
Meanwhile, Basiru called on residents to embrace peace and urged members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers in the state to resolve their internal disagreements.
He also appealed to political actors to move beyond the divisions generated by the recent governorship election and focus on infrastructure, economic development and improving living conditions for residents.
With the 2027 presidential contest approaching, the renewed alliance between Adeleke and Tinubu is expected to attract further political attention, particularly in Osun, where the governor’s political influence could play a significant role in determining the strength of support for the President.
For Adeleke, however, the position remains clear: having given his word to support Tinubu, he says he has no intention of going back on it.