By Peace Erewunmi

Former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has praised President Bola Tinubu for what he described as allowing the will of the people to prevail in the August 15, 2026 Osun State governorship election.

Fayose, while speaking on TVC News, contrasted the conduct of the Osun election with his experience during the 2018 Ekiti governorship election, which he alleged was influenced by the use of federal power.

According to the former governor, the Federal Government had the capacity to influence the outcome of the Osun election if it had chosen to do so, but he said the situation was different from what he experienced in Ekiti eight years ago.

“If the federal government wants to take an election, they will take it,” Fayose said.

He commended Tinubu for what he described as a magnanimous approach to elections, arguing that the outcome of the Osun poll demonstrated that credible elections were possible in Nigeria.

Fayose pointed out that Tinubu appointed the leadership of key security and electoral institutions, including the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, the Inspector-General of Police and the Chief of Army Staff.

“Tinubu appointed INEC chairman, IGP, and army chief. Don’t tell me that that combination will not take any election if they want to take it,” he said.

The Osun governorship election was won by the Accord Party candidate, Ademola Adeleke, who secured 511,067 votes to defeat the All Progressives Congress candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, who polled 444,815 votes. African Democratic Congress candidate Najeem Salaam came third with 17,180 votes.

Recalling the 2018 Ekiti election, Fayose alleged that the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari deployed federal institutions against him.

“Ekiti was taken from me in 2018 by all means possible,” he said.

He claimed that his security personnel were withdrawn shortly before the election and that communication around the Government House was disrupted.

Fayose also alleged that former Department of State Services Director-General, Lawal Daura, played a role in the events surrounding the election.

In the 2018 Ekiti election, Fayose supported his deputy, Kolapo Olusola, who contested on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party. Olusola lost to APC candidate Kayode Fayemi, who won the election with 197,459 votes against Olusola’s 178,121 votes.

Fayose maintained that Tinubu’s conduct during the Osun election showed that the President was willing to allow democratic competition to thrive.

According to him, the President’s “body language” suggested a desire to see Nigeria’s democracy succeed.

His comments come amid continuing discussions about the role of federal institutions and security agencies in Nigeria’s elections, particularly the extent to which political power can influence electoral outcomes.