2027: ‘No Agreement with Tinubu’, Adeleke Explains Support for President

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has said his support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is not based on any agreement with the Federal Government, but is partly influenced by the fact that the President is a fellow Yoruba man.

Adeleke disclosed during an interview on Sunday Politics, where he spoke about his relationship with the President and his political position ahead of the 2027 general elections.

His comments followed a congratulatory message from the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, after Adeleke’s victory, in which Keyamo described the governor as a man of integrity and honour and stated that “Agreement is agreement.”

Asked whether he had reached any agreement with President Tinubu, Adeleke said, “No, I did not reach an agreement with Mr President.”

The governor explained that his support for Tinubu was driven by his desire to see the President succeed and continue his development programmes, particularly in infrastructure.

“My support is just based on Mr President being a Yoruba man and his projects. And I believe that all the federal roads that he has started, I want to encourage him not to forget Osun too,” Adeleke said.

He said several federal roads connect Osun with other parts of the country and appealed to the President to extend more federal development projects to the state.

“I feel like, since a Yoruba man has won for the first time, maybe I will give him another chance to develop his reforms,” he said.

Adeleke also said he was open to working with political allies of the President in Osun State, provided their activities were geared towards supporting Tinubu.

“As long as they say, ‘I’m doing it for Mr President,’ I don’t mind. I will work with them,” he said.

Despite his support for Tinubu, Adeleke ruled out any immediate plan to return to the All Progressives Congress, APC, saying such a move was not currently on his agenda.

“As I’m talking to you right now, I’m not even thinking about that. It’s not on my agenda,” he said.

The governor also said his support for the President would not require him to belong to the APC.

On political disputes surrounding his administration, Adeleke said he was ready to move beyond the 2026 election-related disagreements and pursue political solutions to outstanding issues.

He said discussions were ongoing over the local government dispute, while other contentious matters were also being addressed.

On his legal dispute with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Adeleke said he had been directed to discontinue the matter following an intervention by President Tinubu.

“Mr President has told me. He called me. What more do I want?” he said.

The governor also disclosed that his administration was taking steps to secure the release of some of his supporters who remain in detention.