Adeleke's Tinubu visit customary, no plan to join APC – Campaign council

Speculation that Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke plans to defect from the Accord Party to the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been firmly dismissed by his campaign council. The Imole Campaign Council stated that Adeleke's recent meeting with President Bola Tinubu was a customary political tradition following the conclusion of off-cycle governorship elections in Nigeria.

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The Imole Campaign Council wishes to state that the visit by Osun State Governor, Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adelek,e to His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu yesterday is in line with customs and political tradition at the conclusion ofoff-cyclee elections in Nigeria.

Adeleke, who secured a second term in office after defeating the APC's Bola Oyebamiji in the August 15 election, visited the Presidential Villa in Abuja. There, he presented his certificate of return to President Tinubu and held a private meeting. The campaign council, in a statement signed by its Media and Publicity Committee Chairman, Bamidele Salam, clarified that this visit should not be misconstrued as an intention to join the ruling APC.

According to the council, Adeleke, as the newly re-elected governor, had a responsibility to show respect and appreciation to the president, who is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. The visit also provided a platform for both leaders to discuss critical issues concerning the peace, security, and development of Osun State, especially after a closely contested electoral period. President Tinubu had previously called for free and fair elections, underscoring the importance of a peaceful electoral process.

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The visit also afforded Mr President as the father of the Nation and the Osun State Governor a platform to discuss issues pertaining to peace, security and progress of Osun State after thetensed election.

The campaign council was particularly emphatic in rejecting reports suggesting the meeting was linked to a potential defection. "For the avoidance of doubt, the visit of Mr Governor and top members of his Campaign team had absolutely nothing to do with a plan to move from Accord to the All Progressives Congress as being insinuated in certain quarters," the statement read. The council stressed that the issue of Adeleke joining the APC was not discussed at any point during the visit.

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For the avoidance of doubt, the visit of Mr Governor and top members of his Campaign team had absolutely nothing to do with a plan to move from Accord to the All Progressives Congress as being insinuated in certain quarters.