Rufai Oseni Fires Wike, Dismisses Claims That FG Didn’t Deploy Influence In Osun Election

Nigerian journalist, Oseni Rufai, has challenged the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, over claims that the Federal Government did not deploy its influence and resources in favour of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, during the Osun State governorship election.

Naija News recalls that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared incumbent governor Ademola Adeleke the winner after he polled 511,067 votes to defeat the APC candidate, Oyebamiji, who secured 444,815 votes.

Adeleke won 19 of the state’s 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji won 11, giving the incumbent a margin of 66,252 votes.

Reacting to the outcome, Wike said the APC would have won if President Bola Tinubu had deployed the full weight of federal power.

However, Rufai, during Arise Television’s ‘Morning Show’, on Thursday, said Wike should stop gaslighting Nigerians over the outcome of the election.

Rufai urged Wike to refrain from denying the presence of federal might, alleging that significant political and financial efforts were made to secure victory for the APC.

According to him, federal-aligned interests made substantial efforts to influence the outcome but still failed because voters in the state resisted the APC pressure.

Rufai added that Wike’s claims that federal influence was not deployed were difficult to reconcile with the scale of political activity and resources allegedly committed to the election.