Nigerian businessman and social commentator, Prince Isaac Fayose, has criticised the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, over his recent comments on the outcome of the Osun State governorship election.
Fayose expressed concern over Wike’s suggestion that President Bola Tinubu could have used his influence to help the All Progressives Congress win the August 15 governorship election in the state if he had wanted to secure victory “at all costs.”
The comment has continued to generate reactions in political circles, with critics saying it could create the impression that the Federal Government has the power to influence the outcome of elections through its political and institutional influence.
Wike, while speaking with journalists on Tuesday, said the Federal Government did not deploy its influence against Governor Ademola Adeleke during the election.
He said President Tinubu allowed the people of Osun State to freely choose their governor.
According to the minister, if the President had been determined to ensure an APC victory, he would have personally travelled to Osun State and deployed his political influence during the election.
Wike’s remarks came shortly after Adeleke, the incumbent governor, defeated the APC candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, in the closely contested election.
Adeleke secured 511,067 votes, while Oyebamiji polled 444,815 votes. The result gave the governor another term in office after a campaign that attracted significant attention because of the political importance of Osun State ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Reacting to Wike’s statement in a video posted on his official Facebook page on Tuesday, Fayose said he was unhappy with the minister’s comments.
He argued that the people of Osun State had already made up their minds about who they wanted to govern them and could not easily be influenced by political power.
“When I listen to Wike, my stomach rumbles. Look at the confidence with which he said if the President had wanted Osun, he would have been there,” Fayose said.
He added, “May God continue to save Nigeria from these kinds of people. God will shock him.”
Fayose also warned against comparing the political situation in Osun with Rivers State, where Wike served as governor for eight years.
The former Rivers governor remains an influential figure in the state and played a major role in the state’s politics before becoming an FCT minister under the Tinubu administration.
Fayose said the political realities in Osun were different from those in Rivers and insisted that voters in the South-West state could not be forced to support a particular candidate.
“Osun people are not Rivers. Osun people made up their minds, and one thousand of you cannot change it. You are dreaming,” he said.
His remarks reflect a wider debate that has followed the Osun election, particularly over the role of political influence, security agencies and federal authorities in Nigerian elections.
The poll was closely watched because of the political rivalry between the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party, as well as the wider political realignment taking place ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Although Adeleke contested the election under the Accord Party after his political movement changed its platform, the poll was widely seen as an important test of the APC’s strength in the state.
Following his victory, Adeleke also endorsed President Tinubu for the 2027 presidential election and thanked the President for what he described as his intervention in some matters involving the state.
The endorsement generated further political debate, with some opposition figures questioning the relationship between Adeleke’s victory in Osun and his subsequent support for Tinubu.
Wike’s latest comments have added another dimension to the debate.
The FCT minister has remained an important political figure within the Tinubu administration despite his previous membership of the PDP and his long-running political disagreements with some leaders of the party.
He was among the prominent opposition figures who supported Tinubu during the 2023 presidential election despite belonging to the PDP.
His decision, along with that of several other members of the G-5 governors, not to support the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, contributed to the political tensions within the opposition ahead of the 2023 election.
Fayose also referred to Wike’s past political relationship with Atiku, saying Nigerians should be grateful that Atiku did not choose Wike as his running mate.
“Thank God Atiku did not choose you as his vice president; this country would have been destroyed more than it is now,” Fayose said.
He further accused Wike of suggesting that the will of voters could be changed through political influence.
“So, you wanted to change the will of Osun people as you usually do in Rivers? I feel sorry for Nigerians. How come people are still campaigning for this man?” he asked.
The exchange comes at a time when political parties are already preparing for the 2027 general elections.
The issue of the independence of electoral institutions, the influence of political office holders and the ability of voters to freely choose their leaders remain major concerns in Nigeria’s democratic process.
The Independent National Electoral Commission has repeatedly stressed the need for political parties and candidates to respect electoral rules and allow voters to exercise their rights without intimidation.
The National Peace Committee and other stakeholders have also urged political actors to conduct issue-based campaigns and reject violence, hate speech and attempts to manipulate voters.
With the 2027 elections approaching, comments such as those made by Wike and Fayose are likely to continue to attract public attention, particularly as political parties position themselves for a major contest.