Adeleke Thanks Tinubu for “Free and Fair” Osun Election, Calls Him “Father of the Nation

Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke on Thursday paid a thank-you visit to President Bola Tinubu at the State House in Abuja, praising him for ensuring the August 15 governorship election in Osun was conducted without interference.

Speaking to State House correspondents after a closed-door meeting with the President, Adeleke said Tinubu’s commitment to democracy was the reason voters were allowed to decide freely.

Adeleke arrived at the Presidential Villa at about 5:20 p.m. and was received directly into the President’s office

After the meeting, he told reporters that the purpose of his visit was to express appreciation.

Yeah, that is why I’m here to thank Mr. President, the father of the nation, because he fought for this democracy,” Adeleke said.

“That is why he allowed free and fair election, and that is the result. That is why I’m here, to say thank you to ensure that democracy lives in Nigeria.”

The governor described Tinubu’s role as crucial in upholding the integrity of the electoral process, noting that the President did not interfere despite political stakes in the state

Adeleke, of the Peoples Democratic Party, was re-elected for a second term after securing 511,067 votes in the August 15 poll.

His closest challenger, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress, polled 444,815 votes.

The PDP candidate won 19 out of Osun’s 30 local government areas, while the APC took 11 councils. The margin of victory was 66,252 votes.

The election was closely watched because Osun is Tinubu’s home state and an APC stronghold. The APC had held the governorship before Adeleke defeated then-incumbent Gboyega Oyetola in 2022.

This year’s contest was therefore seen as a test of both the PDP’s hold on the state and the APC’s ability to reclaim it.

Despite the high political tension, the Independent National Electoral Commission declared the process peaceful, with no major incidents of violence reported across the state.

Adeleke’s visit to Tinubu drew attention because the two leaders are from opposing parties. Tinubu is the national leader of the APC, while Adeleke governs Osun on the PDP platform.

By publicly thanking the President, Adeleke framed the election outcome as a win for democracy rather than just for his party.

The “father of the nation” remark stood out. It signaled a willingness to separate party politics from governance and to acknowledge the President’s constitutional role.

Political analysts say such gestures help to lower post-election tensions, especially in states where results are contested.

Tinubu himself has repeatedly said that elections must reflect the will of the people, and that incumbents at all levels should not use federal power to manipulate outcomes. Adeleke’s comments appeared to endorse that position

With his re-election confirmed, Adeleke is expected to continue his administration’s focus on infrastructure, workers’ welfare, and social programs — key issues he campaigned on in 2022 and again this year.

He has also said he will work with the federal government regardless of party differences, particularly on security, education, and economic development.

The APC in Osun has not formally rejected the results, but party leaders have said they will review the outcome and decide on next steps.

For now, however, the declaration by INEC stands, and Adeleke has begun preparing for his second term.

Osun’s election was one of the first major off-cycle governorship polls ahead of the 2027 general elections. Observers will be watching to see if the relative calm and transparency recorded there becomes a template for other states.

Adeleke’s thank-you visit also sends a message about political maturity. In Nigeria’s often heated political climate, it is not common for a governor from the opposition to publicly credit a President from the ruling party for a free election.

By doing so, Adeleke positioned himself as prioritizing democratic institutions over partisan battles.

“Democracy must live in Nigeria,” he reiterated outside the Villa. “And that starts with allowing the people to choose.”

The meeting lasted less than an hour. No further details of the discussion were released, but aides said it also touched on federal projects in Osun and areas of collaboration between the state and the federal government.

As Osun moves forward, both Adeleke and Tinubu will face the task of translating electoral peace into governance results — a challenge that will define politics in the state until 2027