Adeleke Speaks On Defecting To APC After Meeting With Tinubu, Wike

Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has dismissed speculation that he is planning to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC), following his separate meetings with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, in Abuja.

Adeleke, who recently secured a second term as Osun State governor on the platform of the Accord Party, met with Tinubu at the Presidential Villa on Thursday before later visiting Wike.

The meetings triggered fresh speculation that the governor could be preparing to leave the Accord Party for the ruling APC, particularly after his growing public support for President Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

However, Adeleke's campaign organisation has rejected the speculation, saying there is no plan for the governor to join the APC.

Speaking through the spokesperson of the Ademola Adeleke Campaign Council, Pelumi Olajengbesi, the governor's camp described the visit to Tinubu as a normal courtesy engagement following the conclusion of the Osun governorship election.

Olajengbesi said Adeleke's visit was not connected to any plan to defect to the ruling party.

“The essence of that visit has nothing to do with Governor Ademola Adeleke joining APC. It’s an impossibility. Governor Ademola Adeleke is not joining APC,” he said.

He added that Adeleke would continue to work with the Federal Government where such cooperation would benefit Nigeria and Osun State.

“But I can assure you that Governor Ademola Adeleke will work with the Federal Government to ensure that there’s progress in Nigeria and, of course, in Osun State,” Olajengbesi said.

### Why Adeleke met Tinubu

Adeleke's meeting with Tinubu came days after he won the August 15 Osun governorship election and secured another term in office.

The governor contested the election under the Accord Party and defeated the APC candidate, Bola Oyebamiji.

The Independent National Electoral Commission declared Adeleke the winner after he polled 511,067 votes against Oyebamiji's 444,815 votes.

Following the victory, Adeleke travelled to Abuja and met with Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, where he presented his Certificate of Return.

The governor said the visit was intended partly to thank the President for what he described as allowing the electoral process to take place without interference.

Adeleke has also publicly acknowledged Tinubu's support for democratic processes in Osun and has said he is willing to work with the Federal Government on issues affecting the state.

The governor's position has nevertheless generated political interest because he is currently an Accord Party governor while openly supporting Tinubu's bid for another term in 2027.

### Adeleke also visits Wike

After meeting Tinubu, Adeleke visited Wike, who received him in Abuja.

Photographs from the meeting showed Adeleke and Wike together holding the governor's Certificate of Return.

The visit came amid Wike's increasingly open campaign for a broad political coalition behind Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

Speaking to journalists on Friday, Wike said Adeleke had joined his political camp and declared that they all belonged to Tinubu's camp.

“Adeleke belongs to us, and we all belong to Mr President,” Wike said.

Wike also predicted that a broader political alliance backing Tinubu would become more visible in the coming weeks.

His comments added to the speculation surrounding Adeleke's political future, particularly because of the governor's recent meetings with Tinubu and Wike.

### Adeleke's camp rejects APC defection speculation

Despite the political attention surrounding the meetings, Adeleke's campaign council insists that the governor has no immediate plan to leave the Accord Party.

Bamidele Salam, Chairman of the Media and Publicity Committee of the Imole Campaign Council, also described Adeleke's meeting with Tinubu as a customary engagement following an off-cycle governorship election.

According to Salam, the governor had a responsibility to acknowledge the President after the election and discuss issues concerning peace, security and the development of Osun State.

The campaign council said the meeting should not be interpreted as evidence of a planned defection.

Adeleke's position is particularly notable because his political alignment has changed in recent years.

The governor left the Peoples Democratic Party and joined the Accord Party before the 2026 Osun governorship election. He subsequently won re-election under the Accord platform.

His current support for Tinubu therefore does not automatically mean that he has joined the APC.

### Adeleke says he is not considering APC move

The latest clarification is also consistent with comments attributed to Adeleke after his meeting with Tinubu.

The governor has indicated that joining the APC is not currently on his agenda, despite his willingness to cooperate with Tinubu's administration.

His position means that, for now, Adeleke intends to remain politically separate from the APC while maintaining a working relationship with the Federal Government.

The development comes at a time when Nigerian politics is witnessing significant realignments ahead of the 2027 general election, with politicians from different parties increasingly declaring support for Tinubu.

Wike has been one of the strongest advocates of a broad coalition around the President, arguing that opposition parties remain divided and unable to present a formidable challenge.

Adeleke's recent victory on the Accord Party platform, followed by his meetings with Tinubu and Wike, has therefore attracted considerable attention.

For now, however, there is no confirmed defection.

Adeleke remains an Accord Party governor, while his camp has expressly rejected reports that his meetings in Abuja were part of a plan to move to the APC.