The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has explained why Governor Ademola Adeleke defeated the All Progressives Congress candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, in the August 15 Osun State governorship election.

Wike said Adeleke emerged victorious because President Bola Tinubu allowed the election to be free and fair, dismissing claims that the Federal Government manipulated the poll.

The minister spoke on Tuesday during an inspection tour of flood-affected areas in the Federal Capital Territory.

SEE ALSO: 2027: Wike Predicts Easy Victory for Tinubu, Says Opposition Is ‘Crippled and Depleted’

According to Wike, the election outcome demonstrated that the Tinubu administration did not deploy federal influence to undermine the opposition.

He pointed to Tinubu’s decision to congratulate Adeleke after the election as evidence that the President allowed the democratic process to take its course.

“The President called him… congratulating him (Adeleke). What does it tell you? If Tinubu did not allow a free and fair election, would they have won? No!” Wike said.

The FCT minister also rejected claims that federal might was used to influence the outcome of the election, drawing from his experience in previous political contests.

“When you say force of the federal government… ask those who have survived it, though—people like me who survived federal might. It’s not by saying ‘they say, they say.’ It’s not true,” he said.

Adeleke polled 511,067 votes to defeat Oyebamiji, who scored 444,815 votes, giving the incumbent governor a margin of 66,252 votes.

The governor also won 19 of Osun State’s 30 local government areas, while the APC candidate secured 11.

Wike cautioned political observers against interpreting the outcome of the off-season governorship election as an indication of what would happen in a presidential election.

Meanwhile, the minister also addressed the recurring flooding in parts of the FCT, saying the issue should not be politicised without examining its underlying causes.

He said some critics had used the flooding to attack the administration while ignoring its achievements in other areas.

Wike added that government officials and residents also had roles to play in preventing flooding.

He further rejected suggestions that poor residents were responsible for major structural encroachments on waterways and restricted areas, saying many of the structures obstructing drainage channels were built by wealthy Nigerians and had existed for years before the current administration.

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals has secured a $1bn underwriting programme ahead of its planned Initial Public Offering.

The programme, structured by Marob Strategies and Consulting DIFC Ltd and Lilium Capital Group, consists of a completed and funded $600m private placement and an additional $400m underwriting commitment in support of the planned IPO.

SEE ALSO: Dangote, CNN Seal Multi-Year Partnership, Launch New ‘Africa Inc.’ Show

The Dangote Group disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, saying the $600m private placement had been underwritten and funded by Pan-African Refinery Investment SPV, a subsidiary of Lilium Capital Group.

It added that Marob Strategies and Lilium Capital are coordinating the distribution of the underwriting participation across Global Africa, targeting sovereign wealth funds, governments, institutional investors and other eligible investors.

According to the advisers, the response has been strong, reflecting growing institutional appetite for large-scale African assets capable of generating long-term economic value.

The programme is also expected to catalyse significant intra-African capital flows and contribute to the development of a more integrated African capital market under the auspices of the African Continental Free Trade Area.

President and Chief Executive Officer of Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote, described the transaction as an important milestone for the refinery and African capital markets.

“This is an important milestone for DPRP and for African capital markets,” Dangote said.

He added that the transaction reflected confidence in the refinery’s strategic role and created a platform for broader participation by African and Caribbean sovereign wealth funds, governments and institutional investors across Global Africa.

“The successful completion of the private placement, together with the $400m underwriting commitment provided by Pan-African Refinery Investment SPV in support of the planned IPO, reflects confidence in the refinery’s strategic role. The work undertaken by Marob Strategies and Lilium Capital has also created a platform for broader participation by African and Caribbean sovereign wealth funds, governments and institutional investors across Global Africa,” he said.

Chairman of Marob Strategies, Professor Benedict Okey Oramah, said the transaction demonstrated the appetite for African-led capital market transactions providing access to transformative assets on the continent.

“As Chairman, I am very proud of the work undertaken by the management team at Marob Strategies to bring this transaction to fruition. Marob Strategies is now focused on disciplined distribution across Global Africa and is engaging sovereign wealth funds, governments, institutional investors and other eligible investors.

“The level of interest confirms the appetite for African-led capital markets transactions that provide investors with access to transformative assets on the continent. The success of this transaction paves the way for many more such transactions in the future,” he said.

Also, Chairman of Lilium Capital Group, Simon Tiemtoré, described the mandate as part of the firm’s effort to connect major African opportunities with institutional investors across Global Africa and international markets.

“This mandate reflects Lilium Capital’s commitment to connecting world-class African opportunities with institutional investors across Global Africa and international markets.

“By mobilising long-term capital for strategic assets such as the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, we are supporting industrialisation, strengthening capital markets and contributing to sustainable economic growth across the continent.

“We are proud to support DPRP on this landmark transaction and look forward to mobilising capital for more transformative projects that create lasting value for Africa,” he said.

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has predicted an easy victory for President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election, describing the opposition as “crippled and depleted.”

Wike made the declaration on Tuesday in Abuja while reacting to the outcome of the recently concluded Osun State governorship election, which was won by the opposition.

SEE MORE: Why Fubara Couldn’t Seek Re-election — Wike Reveals Inside Story

The minister said the result of the Osun election should not be interpreted as a setback for the Tinubu administration, arguing that the Federal Government allowed the electoral process to run without interference.

He criticised opposition politicians who accuse the government of manipulating elections when they lose but celebrate the same electoral process when they emerge victorious.

“When they lose, they claim the government manipulated the process; when they win, they show off their might. It does not work that way.

“From what I have seen, this government allows processes to run their own way, and they must be given credit for that,” Wike said.
Wike also contrasted the 2027 election with the 2023 presidential contest, which he described as a difficult period for Tinubu.

“2023 was a tough election for him. Nobody knew what the government at the time was trying to do, and even governors were afraid,” he said.

According to the FCT minister, the opposition lacks the organisation and unity required to defeat an incumbent president.

“To remove a government, you need a strong, vibrant opposition that has spent over four years planning, not one that is constantly looking for a party to join,” he said.

Wike particularly criticised the African Democratic Congress, ADC, over what he described as internal divisions and weak performances in recent governorship elections.

He said the dynamics of governorship elections should not be used to predict the outcome of a presidential election, noting that local factors often determine state-level contests.

“Governorship elections rely on local variables, but a national election is a completely different ballgame. If it is this 2027 election against Bola Ahmed Tinubu, forget it. It is over,” he said.

The minister also dismissed the suggestion that the Osun election represented a major breakthrough for opposition parties ahead of 2027, insisting that a national election requires a much stronger political structure.

On economic concerns, Wike urged Nigerians to judge leadership based on concrete actions taken to address problems rather than sentiments.

“Leadership is defined by the steps you take to solve problems. When someone identifies a problem and takes concrete action to fix it, that is the effort people should appreciate,” he said.

Wike’s comments come amid increasing political positioning ahead of the 2027 general elections, with opposition parties and potential presidential contenders seeking to build a coalition capable of challenging the ruling All Progressives Congress.