Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has formally declared his intention to seek re-election, stating that he believes he has a divine mandate to end the pattern of one-term governorships in the state.
Speaking during the submission of his expression of interest and nomination forms at the All Progressives Congress National Secretariat in Abuja, Oyebanji urged the party leadership and stakeholders to support his second-term bid.
He appealed for unity within the party and stressed the importance of continuity for the progress of the state.
“There’s a request we are pleading that we have come for and this is very dear to the heart of everybody from the Ekiti state. Since the creation of the Ekiti state, no governor has done a second term,” Oyebanji said.
“You know, they will go, they will come back. And this has hit us on the canvas. It has retarded the development of the state,” he added.
The governor emphasized that his re-election would consolidate the gains achieved during his first term and set the stage for a smooth electoral victory for the APC in the 2027 general elections.
“We see it as a jinx that must be broken. We see it as a reproach that has retarded our growth as a state. We don’t want current gains to be reversed,” Oyebanji said. He expressed confidence in the party’s ability to conduct a credible primary election, while also acknowledging the rights of other qualified members to contest. “We have absolute confidence in the ability of national leadership to conduct a free and fair primary. We also recognise the rights of anybody, a loyal party member, who is qualified to contest. I said so, loyal party member.”
Reflecting on the APC’s performance in the 2023 general election, Oyebanji said, “The APC at national level should know, like you have said, this is precursor to 2027. In 2023, the APC election was the first to be declared throughout the country. And it was for 24 hours. And I was just less than six months in office. So if you can record an overwhelming increase within six months, you can now see what we will record after four years in office in 2027.”
The governor stressed that the trend of governors serving only one term has hindered progress in the state. “We just wanted to come here to plead with you that the only thing that is standing against Ekiti people and development is this come-and-go attitude of governors. You know, it’s not in our best interest as a people. And by the same grace of God, I have a divine mandate to break that jinx,” he said.
Outlining his achievements and reasons for seeking a second term, Oyebanji said: “When we campaigned three years ago, it was on the mantra of continuity for shared prosperity — building on the work of past administrations and creating an ecosystem that delivers prosperity to our people.”
“In less than three years, we have achieved close to 80% completion of inherited projects, because these projects belong to the people and were funded with public resources,” he added. The governor also pointed to significant improvements in infrastructure and access to electricity and healthcare. “We have also created conditions for productivity. A people who are not productive cannot prosper. So, we put in place the building blocks for productivity — infrastructure, electricity, and healthcare. For example, more than 60 communities that had been in darkness for nearly two decades have now been connected to the grid.”
Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, who accompanied Oyebanji to the APC Secretariat, endorsed the governor’s re-election bid, citing his performance in key sectors. “Our governor has delivered on infrastructure, human capital development, and stability. All stakeholders in Ekiti — past governors, current and former lawmakers, and leaders across party lines — are on the same page. This is the first time we are seeing such broad consensus,” Bamidele said.
He expressed optimism ahead of the APC governorship primary, scheduled for October 27. “We look forward to the primaries on October 27, and by the grace of God, we will welcome you all to Ekiti to see firsthand the progress that has been made,” he added.
