Speaking during an inspection of flood-affected areas in the Federal Capital Territory, Wike dismissed allegations of Federal Government manipulation during the election, emphasizing that Tinubu’s approach allowed democratic principles to prevail.

Wike highlighted that the conduct of the August 15 Osun governorship election reflected an absence of undue influence from the Federal Government, asserting, “The President called him… congratulating him (Adeleke). What does it tell you? If Tinubu did not allow a free and fair election, would they have won? No!” He argued against claims that federal power was used to sway election outcomes, drawing from his own experiences with previous electoral contests and stating, “When you say force of the federal government… ask those who have survived it… It’s not by saying ‘they say, they say.’ It’s not true.”

Moreover, Wike encouraged political analysts to differentiate between state governorship elections and presidential elections, noting that results in off-season governorship polls should not be misconstrued as predictive of presidential outcomes. His statements came after Adeleke triumphed over Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress with a margin of 66,252 votes, securing 19 out of the 30 local government areas in Osun State.

In conjunction with this electoral discourse, Wike addressed the ongoing flooding issues in the Federal Capital Territory, urging that such matters should not be politicized without a thorough understanding of their causes. He criticized critics for using flooding events to undermine the administration, suggesting instead that both government officials and residents share responsibility in mitigating flooding risks. He refuted claims that impoverished residents were responsible for significant structural encroachments on waterways, arguing that many such obstructions were created by affluent Nigerians and had been in place long before the current government took office.