Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has said Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party won the recent Osun State governorship election because President Bola Tinubu allowed the electoral process to remain free and fair.
Wike made the statement on Tuesday while inspecting areas affected by flooding in the FCT.
The minister also dismissed allegations that the Federal Government manipulated the August 15 governorship election to influence the outcome.
According to Wike, Adeleke’s victory demonstrated that the Tinubu administration did not use federal influence to prevent an opposition candidate from winning.
He argued that the President’s decision to congratulate Adeleke after the election was evidence that the Federal Government accepted the outcome of the poll.
Wike also rejected claims that the government deployed what is commonly referred to as “federal might” to determine the result.
Drawing from his own political experience, the former Rivers State governor said allegations of federal influence should not be accepted without evidence.
He 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 closely 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 considering its underlying causes.
He said both government authorities and residents had responsibilities in preventing flooding.
The minister also rejected suggestions that poor residents were primarily responsible for structures built on waterways and other restricted areas.
According to Wike, several structures obstructing drainage channels were allegedly built by wealthy Nigerians and had existed for years before the current administration.
He called for a more balanced approach to addressing the flooding problem, stressing the need to consider the role of both government enforcement and individual responsibility.
