Adeleke's team responds to Keyamo, denies secret alliance with Tinubu ahead of Osun election

The Imole Campaign Council of Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has issued a denial of any behind-the-scenes political pact driving the governor's backing of President Bola Tinubu's re-election bid for 2027, instead citing the President's track record and reforms as the motivation.

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According to the council's spokesperson, Pelumi Olajengbesi, Adeleke's support for Tinubu stems from the President's performance and efforts to strengthen states economically, rather than a pre-arranged political deal, as he explained in a post on his X handle on Sunday.

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Olajengbesi's statement was a response to a congratulatory post by Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development Festus Keyamo, who, while praising Adeleke on his re-election, cryptically noted "Agreement is agreement" in his message.

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Keyamo's post, which thanked Adeleke for publicly endorsing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the 2027 Presidential Election, described the governor as "a man of integrity and honour" and sparked a mixture of reactions online, with some interpreting the "agreement" comment as evidence of a private understanding between the governor and the President.

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Olajengbesi countered Keyamo's implication, stating that the minister's comment should not be seen as undermining the choice made by Osun voters in the August 15 governorship election, and emphasized that "there is no agreement" that influenced the outcome.

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He further clarified that the decision to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was based on the President's performance and reforms, which have had a positive economic impact on states, and maintained that the voters' decision was the sole factor in Adeleke's victory.

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Adeleke's win was the result of the democratic process, with President Tinubu ensuring that the rules were respected, according to Olajengbesi, who quoted Keyamo's post on X to drive home his point that the Osun people's resilience should not be undermined.

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The Independent National Electoral Commission had declared Adeleke, the Accord Party candidate, the winner of the election, with 511,067 votes, surpassing his closest challenger, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress, who secured 444,815 votes.

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Adeleke, who won a second term, had previously reaffirmed his endorsement of President Tinubu for a second term in the 2027 presidential election, referring to the President as a "son of Osun State".nn

Keyamo's comment, which described Adeleke as a "man of integrity and honour", followed the governor's endorsement of the President, and referred to an "agreement" between the two politicians, sparking speculation about the nature of their relationship.