Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, has described the political relationship between Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke and President Bola Tinubu as a mutually beneficial arrangement rather than a contradiction of their party differences.

The former lawmaker made this known on Tuesday while speaking as a guest on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese-Ijebu, Ogun State.

He said both politicians had strong reasons to maintain a working relationship following Adeleke’s victory in the August 15 Osun governorship election.

Following his re-election victory in the August 15, 2026, Osun State governorship poll, Governor Ademola Adeleke had publicly thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for upholding democratic principles and ensuring a free, fair, and credible process.

Speaking shortly after receiving a personal congratulatory phone call from the president, Adeleke praised Tinubu as a dedicated fighter for democracy and explicitly reaffirmed his full, cross-party endorsement of Tinubu’s 2027 presidential re-election bid, citing Southwest regional interest and structural solidarity.

However, Adeleke continued to face severe public backlash from supporters and opposition critics who accuse him of political betrayal following his immediate endorsement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid.

They had expressed deep disappointment, arguing that Adeleke’s premature alliance desecrates the sacrifices made by local voters.

Sani, however, said the people of Osun State may not necessarily support Tinubu at the governorship level, just as supporters of Tinubu may not necessarily support Adeleke.

According to him, the political relationship between Adeleke and Tinubu demonstrates the reality that political alliances in Nigeria are often driven by interests rather than party ideology.

Arguing that both politicians had recognised the need to work together, Sani said, “The people of Adeleke may not like Tinubu, and the people of Tinubu may not like Adeleke. 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.”

Sani said Adeleke remained popular among voters in Osun and had therefore become politically important to Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election. He also said Tinubu retained significant influence at the Federal Government level and could play a role in protecting Adeleke’s political interests.

The former senator pointed to the controversy surrounding the freezing of Osun State Government accounts by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as one example of the importance of their relationship, saying that Tinubu’s intervention in the matter was not something Adeleke could simply ignore.

“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. A politician who understood the realities of the system would recognise such intervention as politically significant”.

Sani said Adeleke’s public support for Tinubu’s re-election should therefore be understood in the context of the relationship between the two leaders, adding that, “he has won his election, and Tinubu has stopped any form of interference to tamper with that. Adeleke still has political battles ahead despite winning the governorship election. Some of those battles could require federal cooperation and political protection.”, he said.

Sani criticised the African Democratic Congress (ADC) over its performance in the election, saying the party’s candidate, Najeem Salaam, secured only about 17,000 votes despite the party presenting itself as a major opposition platform.

He questioned why ADC leaders were focusing on the APC’s defeat instead of examining their own poor electoral performance. “What was their scorecard in Osun State?” Sani asked.

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