Rufai slams Wike over the Osun election, rejecting claims that federal power was not deployed as the APC suffered defeat to Ademola Adeleke
Arise Television anchor Oseni Rufai has criticised Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, and the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, over the party’s defeat in the Osun State governorship election.
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Rufai made the remarks on Thursday, August 20, 2026, during Arise Television’s Morning Show, while responding to Wike’s claim that the APC would have won the election if President Bola Tinubu had deployed the full weight of federal power.
The broadcaster accused Wike of attempting to “gaslight” Nigerians over the election outcome, arguing that the scale of political activity surrounding the poll made it difficult to accept the suggestion that federal influence had not been significantly deployed.
The exchange follows the victory of incumbent Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, who was declared winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
Adeleke secured 511,067 votes, defeating APC candidate Bola Oyebamiji, who polled 444,815 votes. The result gave Adeleke a winning margin of 66,252 votes.
The governor won 19 of Osun’s 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji secured victory in 11.
Wike had subsequently argued that the APC could have emerged victorious if Tinubu had decided to deploy the full weight of federal authority behind the party.
“I would have been there if Tinubu wanted APC to win at all costs,” Wike said in his reaction to the election.
Rufai, however, rejected that explanation, describing it as denial and an attempt to distort the reality of what happened at the polls.
The Arise TV anchor argued that considerable political and financial resources had allegedly been committed towards securing an APC victory, yet the efforts did not produce the desired result.
His central argument was that the election demonstrated the limits of political influence when voters are determined to resist it.
According to Rufai, federal-aligned interests had made substantial efforts to influence the contest, but those efforts ultimately failed to translate into an APC victory.
The dispute adds another layer to the political debate following the Osun election, with attention now shifting towards what the result means for the strength of the APC and opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Wike’s comments have also revived questions about the role of federal influence in state elections and whether political control at the centre can guarantee electoral success at the state level.
For Rufai, the Osun result provides a powerful counterpoint to the argument that federal authority alone can determine electoral outcomes.
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The election therefore leaves both parties with important lessons as preparations for the 2027 political season gather pace, particularly over the influence of incumbency, political mobilisation and the ability of voters to determine the final outcome.
