Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, has described Governor Ademola Adeleke’s endorsement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the 2027 presidential election as a political calculation rather than an act of betrayal.
Sani made the assertion on Tuesday while speaking as a guest on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese-Ijebu, Ogun State.
His comment followed Adeleke’s victory in the August 15, 2026, Osun State governorship election, in which the governor, contesting on the platform of the Accord Party, secured 511,067 votes to defeat the All Progressives Congress candidate, Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, who polled 444,815 votes.
Following his victory, Adeleke publicly thanked Tinubu for upholding democratic principles and ensuring a free, fair and credible electoral process. He also reaffirmed his support for the President’s 2027 re-election bid, citing the interest of the South-West and the need for regional solidarity.
The endorsement has, however, attracted criticism from some of Adeleke’s supporters and opposition figures, who accused the governor of abandoning the political interests of those who supported him in the election.
But Sani argued that the relationship between Adeleke and Tinubu should be understood within the realities of Nigerian politics, where political interests often transcend party affiliations.
“The people of Adeleke may not like Tinubu, and the people of Tinubu may not like Adeleke,” he said.
“But Tinubu needs Adeleke for the fact that he needs the votes from Osun State. Adeleke needs Tinubu for protection against the hawks that are coming in between them.”
According to the former senator, Adeleke’s popularity in Osun State makes him politically relevant to Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election, while Tinubu’s influence at the Federal Government level makes him important to Adeleke as the governor seeks to consolidate his political position.
Sani also cited the controversy surrounding the freezing of Osun State Government accounts by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission as an example of the importance of the relationship between the two politicians.
“For Tinubu to stop the EFCC from freezing the account of Osun State, and he didn’t do it secretly, it was done openly for everyone to see,” he said.
He maintained that Adeleke, having secured his re-election, would still face political challenges that could require cooperation and protection from the Federal Government.
“He has won his election, and Tinubu has stopped any form of interference to tamper with that,” Sani said.
The former lawmaker also cautioned against interpreting Adeleke’s victory as evidence that the opposition had developed a strong national structure capable of defeating the All Progressives Congress in 2027.
He argued that the outcome of the Osun election was shaped largely by local political structures and individual interests, rather than a straightforward rejection of the APC.
Sani particularly questioned the performance of the African Democratic Congress in the election, noting that its candidate, Najeem Salaam, secured about 17,000 votes despite the party’s ambition to emerge as a major opposition platform.
“What was their scorecard in Osun State?” he asked.
Sani said the ADC should focus on examining its own performance instead of concentrating solely on the APC’s defeat.
He argued that any opposition party seeking to win the presidency must first establish strong structures across the states and local government areas.
According to him, presidential ambitions cannot be sustained without candidates contesting legislative and local government elections, as such candidates are essential to building grassroots structures and mobilising voters.
“If your candidates lost election, if your central candidates lost election, if your House of Assembly candidate lost election, and you say you want to be president of Nigeria, you are simply wasting your time,” he said.
Sani maintained that political strength must be built from the grassroots upwards, with candidates at the House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate and local government levels contributing to the success of presidential candidates.
He said the Osun election exposed structural weaknesses within the ADC which the party must address if it intends to mount a credible challenge in the 2027 elections.
Sani concluded that the emerging relationship between Adeleke and Tinubu reflected a broader political calculation in which both leaders stand to benefit where their interests intersect at the state and national levels.
