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| Governor Ademola Adeleke |
In a vivid display of Nigeria’s fluid political alliances, Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, publicly declared full support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid, vowing that supporters would “sing and dance all the way back to Aso Rock” in 2027.
Speaking at the inauguration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council at the State House Banquet Hall in the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the governor—widely known as the “dancing governor”—framed his endorsement as a call for continuity and patience with ongoing economic reforms.
Adeleke, who governs under the Accord Party banner after defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was appointed Osun State coordinator in the APC’s revised campaign council list released the previous day. His appearance and remarks, complete with signature energetic dancing alongside the President and First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu, underscored a broader strategy by the ruling party to build a “rainbow coalition” that reaches beyond traditional party lines.
The Speech and the Dance
Adeleke did not merely offer polite support. He positioned himself as an active mobiliser. “I can feel the victory coming in 2027.
Nobody can stop this movement. I’m ready to lead this movement,” he declared. “We’re going to sing, we’re going to dance all the way back to Aso Rock.” He addressed Tinubu affectionately as “our father, the President of this nation,” arguing that the reform agenda requires more time than a single four-year term. “We must give our father… time for his reforms to work. It’s not easy. Four years is not enough. That is why I’m here to throw my weight.”
He emphasised action over rhetoric: “We want action, not too much talk. We don’t have time. The work has begun, and I have already started mine. Let us rise from every nook and corner to support the President…
Let him come and complete the good work he has begun.” Adeleke also urged continued prayers for the President, noting that national success is collective. True to form, he danced his way to the podium—reportedly to a track by his relative, Afrobeats star Davido—before joining Tinubu in further celebration, drawing cheers from attendees including Vice-President Kashim Shettima and other party leaders.
Political Context: From PDP to Accord and Cross-Party Endorsement
Adeleke’s trajectory illustrates the pragmatic, personality-driven nature of Nigerian politics. Elected governor in 2022 on the PDP platform by defeating incumbent Gboyega Oyetola of the APC, he later left the PDP amid internal crises and sought a second term under the Accord Party. He secured re-election in August 2026, polling 511,067 votes against the APC candidate’s 444,815—a margin of over 66,000 votes across 19 of Osun’s 30 local government areas.
His repeated endorsements of Tinubu predate this event. After his 2026 victory, he described the President as a “son of Osun State” and reaffirmed earlier support, citing regional interests and the need to complete major federal projects such as the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road and Sokoto-Badagry Highway. The APC’s decision to name him Osun coordinator, alongside non-APC figures like FCT Minister Nyesom Wike (PDP, coordinating Rivers and FCT) and Anambra Governor Chukwuma Soludo (APGA, coordinating Anambra), signals a deliberate outreach. Other opposition or independent-leaning governors and figures also feature in the expanded council chaired by Tinubu, with Shettima and APC National Chairman Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda as vice-chairmen.
APC National Secretary Senator Ajibola Basiru has clarified that the arrangement with Adeleke focuses on presidential support and does not require the ruling party to abandon its own candidates for other offices in Osun. Accord Party legislative candidates in the state have backed the governor’s role and pledged to mobilise votes for Tinubu, while the party’s own presidential aspirant has downplayed Adeleke’s singular influence.
This “rainbow” approach reflects strategic calculations ahead of the 2027 polls.
Tinubu’s administration has faced significant public pressure over the costs of reforms initiated shortly after his 2023 inauguration. Fuel subsidy removal and naira floatation ended years of fiscal distortion but triggered sharp rises in petrol prices (from roughly ₦185 per litre to over ₦1,000 in many areas), inflation spikes, and higher living costs. Government officials, including Finance Minister Taiwo Oyedele, report substantial gains: about ₦15.8 trillion in subsidy-related resources for the federation over 30 months to December 2025, improved non-oil revenue, rising external reserves (to over $50 billion), narrowing official-parallel exchange rate gaps, and declining debt-service-to-revenue ratios. Inflation has begun moderating from peak levels, though the human cost remains a central political vulnerability.
Adeleke’s argument—that four years is insufficient for reforms to fully mature—echoes the administration’s own messaging that short-term pain is necessary for long-term stability. By aligning with Tinubu while retaining his Accord platform for state-level politics, Adeleke navigates dual imperatives: delivering federal goodwill and projects for Osun while consolidating his local base.
Broader Implications and Analysis
The event marks an early formalisation of Tinubu’s re-election machinery, with the formal campaign flag-off scheduled for later in October in Kaduna. Including sitting opposition governors and influential figures like Wike expands organisational reach into key regions and signals confidence that personal networks and incumbency advantages can outweigh strict party loyalty. Critics from opposition camps may portray it as opportunistic deal-making that weakens alternative platforms, while supporters view it as pragmatic nation-building that prioritises continuity over partisan purity.
For Adeleke personally, the high-profile endorsement and dancing spectacle reinforce his distinctive political brand—energetic, accessible, and unapologetically celebratory—even as he operates outside the APC fold. Whether this translates into decisive votes in Osun and the South-West will depend on grassroots mobilisation, delivery of tangible benefits from federal reforms and projects, and the ability of opposition forces to capitalise on residual economic grievances.
In Nigerian politics, alliances often prove temporary and transactional. Adeleke’s declaration, delivered with song, dance, and a clear call for patience, adds a colourful chapter to the unfolding 2027 contest. As the campaign council moves from inauguration to active mobilisation, the real test will be whether the promised “movement” can convert festive rhetoric into electoral majorities—and whether the reforms Adeleke urges Nigerians to support deliver the broad-based relief that would make a second Tinubu term politically sustainable.
Samuel O. Sulaimon is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Naijapiz. He covers News, Sports, Finance, Faiths, Education, Politics and Technology.
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