The spokesperson for the Ademola Adeleke Campaign Council, Pelumi Olajengbesi, has dismissed reports that the Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, is planning to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC) following his recent meetings with President Bola Tinubu and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
Olajengbesi, who spoke with journalists in Abuja on Friday, said Adeleke’s visit to Tinubu was purely a courtesy call and should not be interpreted as a move towards joining the ruling party.
He stressed that Adeleke remained a member of his political party, adding that the governor’s decision to meet the President was consistent with the constitutional relationship between the Federal Government and state governments.
According to him, Adeleke also used the opportunity to appreciate Tinubu for allowing democratic institutions to operate independently during the August 15 Osun governorship election.
“The visit of Governor Ademola Adeleke to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is the proper thing to do. It is the norm; it is the standard,” Olajengbesi said.
He noted that Nigeria operates a federal system with the Federal Government, state governments and local governments, stressing that Osun State remained an integral part of the Nigerian federation.
He said the governor considered it necessary to pay the President a courtesy visit as a demonstration of respect for the office and an opportunity to discuss issues affecting the state and the country.
Olajengbesi said Adeleke commended Tinubu for allowing democratic institutions to function independently during the election and urged the President to continue supporting institutions that strengthen democracy.
The campaign spokesman said the governor also appealed against the manipulation of democratic institutions by politicians.
He explained that Adeleke’s engagement with the President was intended to advance the interests and aspirations of the people of Osun State rather than compromise them.
“The visit of Mr Governor to Mr President is not taking the people of Osun State for granted, but the intention is to amplify the aspiration of the people of Osun State,” he said.
Olajengbesi described the governorship election as a tense contest but maintained that Adeleke’s victory reflected the choice of Osun voters.
He said the governor also discussed the need for reconciliation and unity in the state following the election, adding that Tinubu similarly supported efforts to bring the people together.
“Mr President has said to Mr Governor that this is the best time for us to unite our people in Osun State. And he’s in line with the speech and the position of Mr Governor, that it is time to heal the wound of the people of Osun State,” he said.
The campaign spokesman was, however, emphatic that Adeleke had no plan to join the APC.
“The essence of that visit has nothing to do with Governor Ademola Adeleke joining APC. It’s an impossibility. Governor Ademola Adeleke is not joining APC,” he declared.
He said while Adeleke would remain in his political party, his administration would maintain a working relationship with the Federal Government in the interest of the state and the country.
“But I can assure you that Governor Ademola Adeleke will work with the Federal Government to ensure that there’s progress in Nigeria and, of course, in Osun State,” he added.
Olajengbesi also rejected claims that the African Democratic Congress (ADC) played a decisive role in Adeleke’s re-election.
He said the governor’s campaign did not seek an alliance with the party, despite the presence of some prominent ADC politicians in Osun during the election.
“ADC did not reach out to us. We are not interested in collaborating with any political party,” he said.
According to him, Adeleke’s victory was secured through the support of Osun voters and not through an alliance with another political party.
He attributed the governor’s re-election to what he described as his administration’s achievements in infrastructure, welfare and other areas of governance.
“The election is about the people coming out en masse to support a governor who has diligently worked for them,” he said.
Olajengbesi argued that Adeleke’s record in infrastructural development and welfare interventions had helped to strengthen his support among voters.
He described the governor as a leader who had prioritised the welfare of the people and maintained that his performance was a major factor behind his electoral victory.
Speculation over Adeleke’s possible defection to the APC intensified after the governor separately met Tinubu and Wike in Abuja on Thursday.
Adeleke had visited the President at the Presidential Villa before meeting Wike, to whom he presented his Certificate of Return following his victory in the August 15 governorship election.
The Independent National Electoral Commission declared Adeleke the winner after he polled 511,067 votes to defeat the APC candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, who scored 444,815 votes. The ADC candidate, Najeem Salaam, came third with 17,180 votes.
The meetings have fuelled fresh political calculations ahead of the 2027 general elections, particularly following Wike’s prediction that a broader political coalition would emerge around Tinubu.
Adeleke’s campaign, however, insists that cooperation with the Federal Government should not be confused with partisan realignment, maintaining that the governor remains firmly outside the APC.