The National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Surajudeen Ajibola Basiru, has met with Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke as political discussions surrounding the 2027 presidential election continue to gather momentum.
Basiru visited Adeleke on Saturday, August 29, 2026, in what he described as a congratulatory visit following the governor’s recent electoral victory. The meeting also provided an opportunity to discuss political support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
According to Basiru, the visit had an additional personal dimension, as he used the occasion to appreciate Adeleke for attending the burial of his late mother.
Basiru subsequently indicated that discussions included efforts to secure support for President Tinubu in Osun State during the 2027 presidential election. He said Adeleke had promised to work towards delivering the state for the President.
The meeting is politically significant because of Adeleke’s position in Osun and the state’s importance in Nigeria’s broader electoral calculations ahead of 2027.
Meeting follows Adeleke’s electoral victory
The engagement came shortly after Adeleke secured victory in the August 15, 2026 Osun State governorship election.
Adeleke, who contested the election on the platform of the Accord Party, defeated the APC candidate, Bola Oyebamiji. The result represented a setback for the APC in the state after the party had invested significant political resources in its campaign.
The outcome has intensified discussions within the APC about its performance in Osun and the strategies required to strengthen its position ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Focus shifts to 2027
With the Osun governorship election concluded, attention is increasingly shifting toward the 2027 presidential election.
For the APC, securing support across Nigeria remains a major political objective as the party prepares for the next national electoral contest. Osun, one of the key states in the South-West, is therefore expected to remain an important focus of political mobilisation.
The meeting between Basiru and Adeleke could consequently be viewed within the wider context of efforts to build political relationships and broaden support for Tinubu ahead of 2027.
Adeleke’s political position
Adeleke’s reported willingness to support Tinubu’s presidential bid adds another dimension to the political landscape in Osun.
Although Adeleke is not an APC member, political alliances and individual endorsements can play an important role during presidential elections, particularly in states where political parties have strong competing structures.
The development also highlights the increasingly fluid nature of Nigeria’s political alignments as politicians and parties position themselves ahead of the 2027 elections.
APC faces task of rebuilding in Osun
The APC’s defeat in the recent Osun governorship election has placed renewed emphasis on the need for the party to examine its internal organisation and electoral strategy in the state.
Some party stakeholders have attributed the loss to internal disagreements, divisions and problems surrounding the selection and mobilisation of party candidates.
The party’s engagement with Adeleke after the election therefore comes at a time when it is assessing how to improve its political standing in Osun while simultaneously pursuing broader national objectives.
As preparations for 2027 continue, further political engagements between national party leaders, state-level politicians and influential stakeholders are expected as parties seek alliances and support ahead of the presidential contest.