The All Progressives Congress has come out in defence of Remi Tinubu after she interrupted Governor Ademola Adeleke’s speech, threatening to switch off the microphone as he sang during her coronation ceremony as the Yeye Asiwaju Ile Oodua in Ile-Ife on Sunday.

In a statement released on Wednesday and signed by Lagos APC spokesperson Seye Oladejo, the party stated that it was unequivocally behind Ms Tinubu. The party also noted that she was right to publicly chide Mr Adeleke, adding that the governor ought to have composed himself better at such a significant cultural event.

“The Lagos state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) rises in firm and unequivocal defence of the First Lady of the Federal Republic, Oluremi Tinubu, over her well-intentioned, measured, and patriotic counsel to the Governor of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke, to focus squarely on the serious business of governance rather than frequent public performances,” the statement said. “Mrs Tinubu’s intervention, made at a culturally significant gathering hosted by the revered Ooni of Ife, was neither malicious, demeaning, nor condescending. It was a timely reminder rooted in statesmanship, motherly wisdom, and genuine concern for the dignity of public office and the expectations of the good people of Osun state.”

Speaking further, the APC stated that governance is a serious business and that public office demands the highest level of focus, but Mr Adeleke has reduced his presence at official events to mere entertainment, urging him to focus on improving living standards in Osun rather than theatrics.

“Let it be stated without equivocation: governance is not a vocation for entertainment, but a sacred mandate entrusted by the people. Public office demands focus, discipline, emotional intelligence, and an unswerving commitment to service delivery. While culture, creativity, and self-expression have their place in society, they must never eclipse the enormous weight of leadership responsibility. Indeed, everything has its place and its time, just as it would rightly incur the wrath of a host if an entertainer chose to sing a dirge at a wedding reception. Context, judgement, and restraint are the hallmarks of responsible conduct,” the party noted.

The statement added, “Furthermore, the prudent management of precious time, at public functions and in all official engagements, is itself a defining hallmark of good leadership. Every hour misspent on avoidable theatrics is an hour stolen from policy execution, service delivery, and the urgent business of improving the lives of the people. Serious governance demands serious time discipline.

“Over time, it has sadly become an aberration that the only discernible takeaway for many members of the public from events where Governor Ademola Adeleke appears as special guest is merely a dose of entertainment – an indulgence that is ultimately unhelpful to their destiny and offers no solution to their daily struggles. Governance must inspire hope through policy, not distraction through performance.

“At a time when Osun state grapples with urgent economic, social, and infrastructural challenges, the people deserve a governor whose public image is defined less by theatrics and more by measurable outcomes in education, healthcare, security, youth employment, and inclusive development. Leadership is not sustained by applause; it is sustained by performance.”

Subsequently, the party reiterated that it was “disingenuous and intellectually dishonest for anyone to frame Mrs Tinubu’s advice as an attack”, noting that, on the contrary, “it was a patriotic nudge to preserve the sanctity of the Osun mandate and protect the dignity of the governor’s office”.

“History is unkind to leaders who confuse cheers with competence and popularity with productivity,” said the party.