Rufai Reacts Strongly To Wike’s Comments On Osun Election

Arise Television anchor Oseni Rufai has strongly criticised Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike over his remarks regarding the outcome of the Osun State governorship election.

Speaking on the Morning Show, Rufai accused Wike of gaslighting the public by suggesting that the federal government did not deploy its political influence and resources to support the All Progressives Congress during the contest.

Wike had asserted that the ruling party would have secured victory if President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had utilized the full weight of federal power within the state.

Rejecting this claim, Rufai argued that the statement failed to reflect the extensive political mobilization and resources reportedly deployed by figures aligned with the APC.

He maintained that the administration and its allies made significant efforts to help their candidate win, but the electorate pushed back against such pressure to select their preferred choice.

The Independent National Electoral Commission declared incumbent leader Ademola Adeleke the winner after he accumulated 511,067 votes, surpassing opposing candidate Bola Oyebamiji, who gathered 444,815 votes.

Adeleke achieved majorities in nineteen out of the thirty local government areas, leaving eleven for Oyebamiji, which yielded a winning margin of 66,252 votes.

Rufai emphasized that the outcome demonstrated how political influence and government resources do not automatically dictate electoral results.

He argued that the event highlighted the capacity of citizens to resist external direction and elect their favored representative.

Consequently, Rufai urged Wike and fellow political figures to acknowledge the final tally rather than arguing that alternative approaches involving greater federal force would have changed the outcome.