2027: Wike Declares Adeleke Belongs to Tinubu Camp, Predicts ‘Largest Rainbow Coalition’

Ademola Adeleke, Nyesom Wike and Bola Ahmed Tinubu

2027: Wike Declares Adeleke Belongs to Tinubu Camp, Predicts ‘Largest Rainbow Coalition’

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has declared that Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke is firmly within his political camp, asserting that their collective loyalty ultimately belongs to President Bola Tinubu. The declaration, made during a project inspection in Abuja on Friday, comes amid growing political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections .

Wike’s statement follows a series of high-level meetings involving Adeleke, who recently secured re-election as Osun State governor. The governor visited President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa on Thursday and later presented his Certificate of Return to Wike in Abuja, fueling intense speculation about his political direction ahead of the 2027 polls . The Independent National Electoral Commission had presented Adeleke with his Certificate of Return on Wednesday after he polled 511,067 votes to defeat the All Progressives Congress candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, who scored 444,815 votes. Adeleke won in 19 of the state’s 30 local government areas .

Speaking to journalists during an inspection of ongoing infrastructure projects across the FCT, including the N5 Extension in Life Camp, the N1 Road project, and the rehabilitation of the IBB International Golf Club, Wike described Adeleke’s engagement with the president as a clear indication of a broader political alignment forming around Tinubu’s re-election bid . He predicted that the coming weeks would witness the emergence of what he called a “larger Rainbow Coalition” comprising politicians from different political parties backing the president ahead of 2027 . Wike explained that what happened the previous night was a meeting to rebuild a larger Rainbow Coalition, noting that Adeleke, who is in a different party, is supporting the president just as he, Wike, is also in a different party but supporting Tinubu. He emphasised that this coalition-building was unprecedented and would continue to expand in the weeks ahead .

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The FCT minister dismissed any notion of a formidable opposition ahead of 2027, arguing that Nigeria’s current political landscape lacks a clearly defined leading opposition party . He pointed to the prolonged internal crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party as the reason why it could not function as a cohesive opposition force, stating that ordinarily, it should have been the PDP, but because of the crisis they have experienced, one cannot see a formidable party that could be called the leading opposition party .

Wike explained that Adeleke, who secured his governorship ticket on the platform of the Accord Party, had done so because of internal challenges within the PDP. He stressed that the governor remains a PDP member at heart, noting that Adeleke is only a member of the PDP, but because of the internal wrangling, and for him to be able to secure a ticket to run for a second term, he had to find a platform, and that platform happens to be a good party, but he is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party .

Wike also dismissed claims by members of the African Democratic Congress that the party played a decisive role in Adeleke’s electoral victory, accusing them of attempting to benefit from a political success they did not contribute to . He stated that all those ADC members who were talking about helping Adeleke to win simply wanted to go and harvest where they never planted. The minister also took a swipe at former presidential candidate and publisher Dele Momodu, questioning his relevance and his attempts to sway Adeleke’s political allegiance, saying he did not know where Dele Momodu would be now, adding that every time one sees him on television, he was born in Ife thinking that would make Adeleke come to his side .

Asked about how opposition leaders, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, might react to his political engagements, Wike said his priority was securing victory for his camp, not making opponents comfortable . He described his mission as giving political rivals “high blood pressure” and ensuring they remain unsettled, stating that his business was to make them not feel well all the time because they would be having high blood pressure, and that was his job . He maintained that the 2027 presidential election would be “the easiest election” for Tinubu, arguing that the emerging political alignments had significantly weakened the opposition landscape . Wike reiterated that Adeleke’s backing of Tinubu, despite contesting on the platform of the Accord Party, had further strengthened the president’s position ahead of the polls, and he urged Nigerians to watch what would happen in the next few weeks, promising a larger Rainbow Coalition in the country supporting the president . He concluded by declaring that Adeleke is fully supporting the president, and that Adeleke belongs to them, and they all belong to the president .