OSOGBO — Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has clarified that his support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is not based on any agreement reached with the Federal Government, saying his position is partly influenced by the fact that the President is a Yoruba man.
Adeleke made the clarification during a live interview on Sunday Politics, where he spoke about his relationship with Tinubu, his political position ahead of the 2027 general elections and some of the political issues surrounding his administration.
The governor’s comments came shortly after the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, congratulated him on his victory in the Osun State governorship election.
Keyamo, in a post on his official X account, described Adeleke as a man of integrity and honour and stated, “Agreement is agreement.”
However, when asked whether he had entered into any agreement with President Tinubu, Adeleke denied making any such arrangement.
“No, I did not reach an agreement with Mr President,” the governor said.
Adeleke explained that his support for Tinubu was based on the President’s identity as a Yoruba man and the development projects being undertaken by his administration.
“My support is just based on Mr President being a Yoruba man and his projects. And I believe that all the federal roads that he has started, I want to encourage him not to forget Osun too,” he said.
According to the governor, several federal roads connect Osun State to other parts of the country, making their completion important to the economic development of the state.
He therefore urged the President to extend more of his infrastructure and development projects to Osun.
“I feel like, since a Yoruba man has won for the first time, maybe I will give him another chance to develop his reforms,” Adeleke said.
The governor also indicated that he was prepared to work with individuals and political groups associated with the President in Osun State, provided their activities were aimed at supporting Tinubu’s administration.
“As long as they say, ‘I’m doing it for Mr President,’ I don’t mind. I will work with them,” he stated.
Despite his willingness to cooperate with Tinubu, Adeleke said he was not considering returning to the All Progressives Congress (APC), the political party he previously belonged to.
Asked if he could return to the APC, the governor said, “As I’m talking to you right now, I’m not even thinking about that. It’s not on my agenda.”
He maintained that his decision to remain outside the APC would not stop him from supporting the President or cooperating with the Federal Government on matters affecting Osun State.
Adeleke seeks political solutions to disputes
Speaking on the political disputes that have followed his administration, Adeleke said he was willing to put the controversies arising from the 2026 governorship election behind him and pursue political solutions to outstanding issues.
He said discussions were ongoing over the local government dispute, while efforts were also being made to resolve other political disagreements.
The governor further addressed the legal issues involving the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), saying he had been directed to discontinue the matter following an intervention by President Tinubu.
“Mr President has told me. He called me. What more do I want?” Adeleke said.
Adeleke also disclosed that his administration was taking steps to address the situation involving some of his supporters who are currently detained.
He had previously called for their release and said his government was working towards finding a solution to the matter.
The governor’s comments come as political alignments ahead of the 2027 general elections continue to generate speculation, particularly over the relationship between state governors and the Federal Government.
