…Confirms Osun Governor’s Support for Tinubu Ahead of 2027 Presidential Election
The National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Surajudeen Ajibola Basiru PhD, on Sunday, August 30, 2026, visited Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke at the Government House in Osogbo, in a move that has drawn fresh attention to political alignments ahead of the 2027 general election.
Basiru said the visit was to congratulate Adeleke on his victory in the August 15, 2026 Osun governorship election, appreciate him for attending the burial of his late mother and discuss the political outlook ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The APC national secretary noted that Adeleke had earlier visited him and his family during his period of bereavement and also attended his mother’s burial. He said he waited until after the governorship election to return the gesture because the two politicians had been on opposite sides during the contest.
According to Basiru, political disagreements should not be allowed to destroy personal relationships. He described Adeleke’s conduct as a demonstration of the Omoluabi values associated with the people of Osun.
The meeting also focused on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid.
Basiru said Adeleke had expressed his readiness to support and campaign for Tinubu in Osun State during the presidential election.
He further suggested that cooperation between the APC and Accord Party structures could significantly improve Tinubu’s chances in the state.
The APC national secretary projected that such cooperation could deliver as many as 1.5 million votes for Tinubu in Osun in 2027.
The figure, however, remains a political projection by Basiru and not an independently verified election forecast.
Basiru’s visit is particularly noteworthy because he was among the APC leaders who campaigned against Adeleke during the August 15 governorship election.
Adeleke, who contested on the platform of the Accord Party, defeated the APC candidate, Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, to retain the governorship.
The governor secured 511,067 votes, while Oyebamiji polled 444,815 votes.
With the governorship contest now over, Basiru’s visit signals a willingness to maintain political engagement despite the rivalry that characterised the election campaign.
It also comes as Adeleke’s relationship with Tinubu continues to attract attention ahead of the 2027 presidential contest.
Adeleke had previously declared his support for Tinubu’s second-term ambition, referring to the President as a “son of Osun State.”
The governor’s position has generated considerable political discussion because he now leads Osun under the Accord Party, while Tinubu heads the APC-led Federal Government.
Adeleke has also rejected suggestions that his support for the President was the result of a political agreement.
Basiru’s latest engagement with the governor could therefore become an important development as political parties begin positioning themselves for the 2027 elections.
The relationship between Adeleke and Basiru has remained relatively cordial despite their different political affiliations.
When Adeleke previously visited Basiru during his bereavement, the two politicians emphasised the importance of “politics without bitterness” and maintaining personal relationships despite political differences.
Basiru’s latest visit appears to reinforce that approach.
Rather than allowing the outcome of the governorship election to deepen divisions, the two politicians have continued to engage across party lines.
That relationship could become increasingly significant as the 2027 election approaches and the APC seeks to strengthen its political standing in Osun.
Osun’s political landscape is already beginning to shift ahead of the 2027 general election.
The state’s relationship with the Federal Government, Adeleke’s position on Tinubu’s re-election and possible cooperation between political structures are likely to remain major issues in the coming months.
For the APC, securing meaningful support from Adeleke could strengthen Tinubu’s prospects in the state.
For the Osun Government, maintaining a constructive relationship with the Federal Government could also facilitate cooperation on federal and state development initiatives.
Whether the emerging relationship will eventually translate into the 1.5 million votes projected by Basiru remains a matter for the electorate to decide at the polls.
For now, the visit has opened another chapter in the relationship between Basiru, Adeleke, the APC and the Accord Party, following a fiercely contested governorship election.
Basiru’s visit took place at the Osun State Government House in Osogbo. He reportedly arrived at about 12:45 p.m., while the closed-door meeting lasted approximately one hour and ended at about 1:35 p.m.
