Adeleke Doubles Down on Tinubu: What the Osun Victory Now Means for 2027

Governor Ademola Adeleke has used his first major appearance after winning re-election to make his position on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu unmistakable: he still wants Tinubu in Aso Rock beyond 2027.

Speaking after the Independent National Electoral Commission declared him winner of the Osun governorship election, Adeleke described Tinubu as a “son of Osun State” and reaffirmed his earlier endorsement of the President for a second term.

The timing matters. Adeleke has just defeated the APC in one of the South-West’s most politically consequential states. He secured 511,067 votes against Bola Oyebamiji’s 444,815, winning 19 of the state’s 30 local government areas.

Yet, rather than turn his victory into another political war with Abuja, Adeleke is extending a hand to the President. He also disclosed that Tinubu personally called to congratulate him after the election.

Tinubu has subsequently publicly congratulated Adeleke and commended the electoral process. ValidViewNetwork reports that the emerging relationship between the two politicians could become one of the more intriguing political arrangements ahead of 2027.

Adeleke does not need to become Tinubu’s political subordinate to work with the Federal Government. Tinubu, equally, has little to gain from treating a governor who has just demonstrated considerable grassroots strength as an enemy.

That distinction is important. The Osun election showed that voters can separate the President, the governor and the political party. The electorate rejected the APC governorship candidate while Adeleke maintained his support for Tinubu’s presidential ambition.

That should make APC strategists uncomfortable. The party cannot continue assuming that an endorsement from a powerful politician automatically transfers to millions of voters.

Osun has demonstrated that grassroots sentiment can operate independently of political structures. This is where the lesson of “No More Baba Sope” returns.

The people may support Tinubu. They may support Adeleke. They may even support politicians from different parties. What they appear less willing to accept is the idea that somebody else should decide their political choices for them.

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For Adeleke, however, the harder part begins now.He has won the election. He has secured another mandate. He has opened a potentially useful channel to Abuja.

Now he must convert political goodwill into governance. The people who defended their votes will eventually demand results.