Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, on Thursday visited the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, as part of his consultations in Abuja following his victory in the August 15 governorship election.
A photograph of the meeting, shared on X by Wike’s media aide, Lere Olayinka, showed Adeleke and Wike shaking hands while holding the governor’s certificate of return.
Olayinka captioned the photograph, “Governor Ademola Adeleke visits the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.”
The meeting came shortly after Adeleke visited President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, where he held a closed-door meeting with the President.
The governor arrived at the State House at about 5:20 p.m., dressed in traditional attire and accompanied by National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, as well as some Osun State officials.
Those with him included his campaign Director-General and Chief of Staff.
During the meeting with Tinubu, Adeleke presented his certificate of return and expressed appreciation for the conduct of the election.
Speaking briefly to State House correspondents after the meeting, the governor praised Tinubu for what he described as his respect for democracy and the electoral process.
Adeleke said his visit was mainly to thank the President, whom he described as the “father of the nation”, for allowing the election to take place without interference.
“Yeah, that is why I’m here to thank Mr. President, the father of the nation, because he fought for this democracy.
“That is why he allowed free and fair election, and that is the result. That is why I’m here, to say thank you to ensure that democracy lives in Nigeria,” he said.
The governor’s visit to Wike later in the day is part of a series of political engagements following his re-election.
Adeleke was declared winner of the August 15 election by the Independent National Electoral Commission after securing 511,067 votes.
He defeated the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Oyebamiji, who polled 444,815 votes.
The governor won in 19 of the state’s 30 local government areas, giving him a clear margin over his closest challenger.
The election was closely watched because of its importance to the political calculations ahead of the 2027 general elections. The contest also attracted national attention because of the involvement of major political figures and the strategic importance of Osun to the opposition and governing political blocs.
Following the declaration of the result, Adeleke has moved to reassure political stakeholders of his readiness to work with different interests in the country.
His meeting with Tinubu was particularly significant because of the political relationship between the Osun governor and the President after the election.
Adeleke had previously praised Tinubu after the election and thanked him for what he described as his role in allowing the electoral process to continue.
The governor’s comments also came against the background of concerns raised by opposition groups and political actors during the campaign about the possible use of federal influence in the election.
Security was another major issue during the poll, with a large number of security personnel deployed across the state to maintain order and prevent violence.
Despite the political tension surrounding the election, INEC declared Adeleke the winner after the collation of results from the 30 local government areas.
The governor’s visit to Wike is also notable given the FCT minister’s position as one of the prominent political figures in the country.
Wike, a former governor of Rivers State, remains an influential figure in national politics and has maintained relationships with politicians across party lines.
The meeting between the two politicians therefore comes at a time when political realignments are already beginning to take shape ahead of the 2027 elections.
Adeleke’s Abuja visits are expected to provide an opportunity for him to strengthen relationships with key figures in the Federal Government and discuss issues affecting Osun State.
The governor has also been under pressure to translate his electoral victory into improved governance, particularly in areas such as infrastructure, education, healthcare, employment and economic development.
His re-election gives him another term to continue his administration’s programmes and consolidate projects started during his first tenure.
The Osun election was also significant because it served as one of the major electoral tests before the 2027 general elections.
Political parties and analysts are expected to study the outcome closely, especially the voting patterns across the state and the factors that influenced the victory.
For Adeleke, however, the immediate task is to consolidate his victory and focus on governance.
His meetings with Tinubu and Wike suggest that the governor is also seeking to maintain strong links with influential figures at the federal level as he prepares for his second term.
The governor’s meeting with the President also reflects the need for cooperation between state and federal authorities, regardless of political differences.