Tinubu's Neutrality Helped Adeleke Win, Says Accord Party Leader

A former presidential candidate for the Accord Party, Prof Chris Imumolen, has disagreed with those saying President Bola Tinubu had no influence on Governor Ademola Adeleke’s win in the August 15 Osun governorship election. He called this view “ungrateful and pretentious.”

Imumolen made this statement on Sunday. He said saying Tinubu's role only depended on whether he campaigned for Adeleke or gave financial support ignores his democratic restraint before and during the election.

The former presidential candidate responded to a recent interview in PUNCH Online. In that interview, the spokesperson for the Imole Campaign Organisation, Mr Pelumi Olajengbesi, claimed that Tinubu did not support Adeleke’s re-election. He said the win was thanks to the votes from Osun residents and Adeleke’s work in office.

Imumolen argued that this viewpoint overlooked the fact that political support can also mean not using state power against an opponent. “President Tinubu showed an extraordinary level of democratic restraint in Osun. He stayed neutral even when his own party’s candidate was running. Given the family ties involved, this contest was even more sensitive.”

“He did not make the election a personal fight. He did not use his office to intimidate the opposition. Instead, he let the people of Osun make their choice. That is a big part of the credibility of the electoral process,” he said.

In the election, the APC candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, ran against the sitting governor, who was seeking a second term with the Accord Party. Adeleke won with 511,067 votes, defeating Oyebamiji who received 444,815 votes. The African Democratic Congress candidate, Najeem Salaam, got 17,180 votes.

Imumolen pointed out that Tinubu’s actions were especially remarkable because the election involved his own party. “It is rare in modern African politics to see a sitting president show such restraint when his party is involved in a tough state election,” he said.

The Accord Party leader said that Tinubu’s choice not to turn the election into a fight between the Federal Government and the Osun governor allowed political actors and voters to make their decisions without federal intimidation.

He also mentioned Tinubu’s involvement regarding the Osun State Government’s account and his communication with Adeleke before the results were announced. He sees this as proof of a statesmanlike approach to the election.

“Think about what could have happened if the president had chosen to use every tool he had against Adeleke just because the governor was running against his party. Instead, he kept his democratic attitude. He let traditional rulers, political actors, stakeholders, and everyday citizens make their choices without the fear of federal intimidation that could have come with such a contest,” he said.

Imumolen clarified that he was not saying Tinubu campaigned for Adeleke or funded his campaign. “Nobody is saying President Tinubu campaigned for Adeleke. That is not the argument. The point is that the president’s conduct, restraint, and democratic attitude helped create an environment where Adeleke could run and get support without the Federal Government turning the election into a presidential power struggle,” he said.

He stressed that there is a difference between supporting a party and showing democratic leadership. He urged Adeleke and his supporters not to downplay the president’s actions just because the APC candidate lost.

“The president may not have given Adeleke the usual campaign support that the campaign spokesperson mentioned, but his actions and restraint helped keep the political space open for the election. So, to say after the election that the president gave ‘no support’ is, in my view, an attempt to erase the value of his democratic behavior,” he added.

Imumolen warned that Adeleke’s win should not lead to what he called historical revisionism. He believes the result should also be seen in the wider context of the election.

“Adeleke may have won because of the votes he got from Osun people, but nobody should change the story about how those votes were freely allowed to determine the result. President Tinubu could have chosen confrontation. He chose restraint. He could have chosen to fight. He chose democracy. That should be acknowledged, not denied,” he emphasized.

This debate happens amid growing political changes as everyone prepares for the 2027 general elections. The result of the Osun election has sparked different views from major political parties. While Adeleke’s supporters see the win as proof of his administration and the will of Osun voters, others seek to draw broader lessons from the election.

“Victory should make a leader generous, not revisionist. The president respected the democratic process in Osun. This fact should not be downplayed just because Adeleke won,” he said.

He added that political leaders should understand that leadership is not just about helping friends but also about the restraint shown towards opponents. “Leadership is not only about what you do for your friends. Sometimes, it is about what you do not do to your opponents,” Imumolen argued.