Wike Says Adeleke Belongs to Us as Tinubu Coalition Gathers Momentum

The political calculations ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 presidential election have taken another turn, with Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Nyesom Wike declaring that Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke now belongs to his political camp and is supporting President Bola Tinubu.

Wike made the remarks on Friday in Abuja while speaking with journalists during an inspection of projects in the Federal Capital Territory. His comments came a day after Adeleke, who recently secured a second term as Osun governor, visited Wike in Abuja after meeting Tinubu at the Presidential Villa.

The FCT minister presented the meetings as evidence of a broader political realignment that he believes will reshape the 2027 contest. Wike said more politicians and groups would join what he described as a growing “Rainbow Coalition” supporting Tinubu, arguing that the coming election would be defined less by traditional party boundaries and more by cross-party alliances.

“Adeleke belongs to us, and we all belong to Mr President,” Wike said, making clear that he views the Osun governor’s current political position as compatible with the coalition backing Tinubu.

Adeleke’s recent movements have inevitably attracted attention because his political journey has not followed a straightforward party line. Although he remains a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, he contested the August 15 Osun governorship election on the platform of the Accord Party after a dispute within the PDP over the state’s political structure. He won the election with 511,067 votes, defeating the All Progressives Congress candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, who polled 444,815 votes.

The governor’s victory has since become part of the wider political argument over the strength of Nigeria’s opposition ahead of 2027. Some figures associated with the African Democratic Congress have claimed a role in the political environment that helped Adeleke win, but Wike rejected that interpretation. He accused ADC figures of attempting to take credit for a victory they did not create and argued that Adeleke’s continued support for Tinubu makes the opposition’s claim over the governor politically difficult to sustain.

Wike’s position is particularly notable because he remains a PDP member while serving in Tinubu’s administration and openly supporting the President’s re-election bid. His latest remarks reinforce the political identity he has developed since the 2023 election: formally outside the ruling APC, but firmly aligned with Tinubu and willing to work across party lines to strengthen the President’s political base.

Adeleke, for his part, has publicly backed Tinubu before the latest meetings. In March, he said he had no problem with the President and reaffirmed his support for Tinubu’s 2027 re-election, while distinguishing his disagreements with the Federal Government from his criticism of Minister of Marine and Blue Economy Adegboyega Oyetola.

After his August 15 victory, Adeleke again praised Tinubu for what he described as support for a free and fair election and reaffirmed his endorsement of the President for another term. That position gives some context to Wike’s latest claim, although Wike’s description of Adeleke as belonging to his political camp is his own political characterisation; it does not amount to a formal announcement by Adeleke that he has joined the APC or another new political coalition.

The significance of the development lies in what it says about the emerging shape of the 2027 race. Wike argued that there is currently no clearly dominant opposition force capable of presenting a unified challenge to Tinubu, pointing to continuing divisions within the PDP and the broader movement around alternative political platforms. He said his own objective was not to make opposition politicians comfortable but to help ensure that Tinubu's political camp defeats them.

For Adeleke, the immediate priority remains governing Osun after an election that was marked by intense political competition and concerns over violence. The governor has called for reconciliation following the poll and said his focus would be on expanding development across the state. His recent engagements with Tinubu and Wike, however, suggest that his political relevance now extends well beyond Osun as the major camps position themselves for 2027.

What happens next will determine whether Wike’s “Rainbow Coalition” becomes a durable political force or simply another loose alliance built around the coming presidential contest. For now, the message from the FCT minister is clear: Tinubu’s supporters are actively seeking allies across party lines, and Adeleke’s post-election positioning has placed him squarely inside that conversation. In a political environment where party labels are increasingly being tested against personal alliances and electoral interests, the next election may be shaped as much by who crosses the political divide as by the parties on the ballot.