Dele Momodu, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has fired back at Nyesom Wike over his claim about the Osun governorship election.
Momodu described Wike’s statement as an “empty boast” and questioned whether the minister could have changed the election outcome. According to Daily Post, Momodu made the comment while speaking on News Central Television on Wednesday.
Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), had said he would have gone to Osun if President Bola Tinubu wanted the All Progressives Congress (APC) to win the election at all costs. However, Momodu dismissed the claim. He said Wike’s presence would not have made a difference in the election.
The ADC chieftain argued that several powerful APC figures had already worked for the party in Osun. Yet, their efforts did not produce the expected result. He pointed to the election figures as proof that voters could not simply be controlled by political leaders.
Governor Ademola Adeleke won the August 15 election with 511,067 votes. The APC candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, polled 444,815 votes. Momodu also questioned Wike’s influence ahead of the 2027 general election.
He recalled the role played by the former PDP G-5 governors during the 2023 elections. According to him, some members of the group later struggled to secure their own political ambitions.
Meanwhile, Momodu warned against assuming that political power automatically translates into electoral control. He said Nigerian voters still have the final say at the ballot box.
The exchange comes as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 elections. Wike and other influential politicians have continued to attract attention over their roles in the emerging political realignments.
For Momodu, however, the Osun result has already sent a clear message: political influence alone cannot guarantee victory at the polls.
