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The Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, did not endorse President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid because he won the recent governorship election, his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, has said.
Rasheed, who is the governor’s Special Adviser and Spokesperson, said Adeleke’s support for Tinubu had been declared before his victory at the polls and was therefore not a post-election political calculation.
Speaking on Arise TV on Tuesday, Rasheed said the governor’s endorsement had remained consistent even as he moved between political platforms.
“When Mr. Governor was within the PDP, the endorsement was announced. When he crossed over to Accord, the endorsement was announced. So the endorsement predates this election victory,” Rasheed said.
He explained that Adeleke had backed Tinubu because he believed the President’s position could help attract federal development projects to Osun State.
According to him, the governor’s priority was to secure federal intervention in areas such as road infrastructure and other projects requiring the involvement of the central government.
“He talks about developmental focus. The need to attract federal presence. The need to get most of the roads in Osun’s federal project done, and the need to support a man that is on the seat that can do this for us,” he said.
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Rasheed pointed to several federal road projects in Osun as evidence that the governor’s approach was already producing results.
He cited the Ilesa-Ibadan Road, Osogbo-Ibadan Road and Gbongan-Osogbo Road, saying work had commenced on some of the projects.
“And as a consequence of that endorsement, Ilesa-Ibadan Road is being worked on. We have Osogbo-Ibadan Road being awarded, the work has started. We have Gbongan to Osogbo already awarded, and so on,” Rasheed said.
The governor’s aide rejected suggestions that Adeleke’s support for Tinubu amounted to a betrayal of Osun voters, insisting that the decision was driven by the state’s development interests.
“The governor is looking at backing the man on the seat for several reasons, and you know this predates our election victory.”
Rasheed added that Adeleke’s endorsement should therefore be viewed within the context of his administration’s efforts to attract federal projects and benefits to the people of Osun State.
“I will say people should not feel betrayed. Mr. Governor is only doing the right thing that is in the best interest of Osun people,” he said.
