The re-elected Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has reaffirmed his endorsement of President Bola Tinubu for a second term in the 2027 presidential election.

Mr Adeleke made the declaration on Sunday while addressing journalists after he was declared the winner of the Osun governorship election, saying the president remained a “son of Osun State”.

The governor also praised Mr Tinubu for what he described as his support for a free and fair election in the state.

“At this point, I must deeply appreciate Mr President, His Excellency Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for his strong support for a free and fair election. Mr President is a son of Osun State, and I hereby reaffirm my earlier endorsement of him for a second term in the 2027 presidential election,” Mr Adeleke said.

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The latest declaration reinforces the governor’s earlier position on the 2027 presidential contest, despite his movement from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the Accord Party ahead of the Osun governorship election.

Mr Adeleke was previously a member of the PDP, under which he won the Osun governorship election in 2022.

He later moved to the Accord Party and contested Saturday’s election on its platform, defeating his closest challenger, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

PREMIUM TIMES had earlier reported that the re-elected Osun State governor thanked President Tinubu for calling to congratulate him on his victory and said he expected Mr Oyebamiji to call and congratulate him.

Mr Adeleke polled 511,067 votes, while Mr Oyebamiji secured 444,815 votes.

The governor won in 19 of the state’s 30 local government areas, while the APC candidate won 11. Najeem Salaam of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) came third with 17,180 votes.

The State Returning Officer, Joshua Ogunwole, declared Mr Adeleke the winner at about 7:24 a.m. on Sunday at the INEC State Collation Centre in Osogbo.

The declaration secured Mr Adeleke another four-year term as governor.

His renewed endorsement of Mr Tinubu comes as political parties and their supporters begin positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Mr Adeleke’s statement also contrasts his political position with the broader contest between the PDP and the APC, the two major parties that have dominated Osun politics in recent years.

For Mr Adeleke, however, his endorsement of the president appears to be driven by what he described as Mr Tinubu’s connection to Osun State and his role in the conduct of the governorship election.

The governor said Mr Tinubu should be recognised as a son of the state and reiterated his support for his bid to remain president beyond 2027.