Anybody who wants to contest the governorship election in Ekiti state should come after 2030. Oyebanji has won the 2026 election” – former governor Ayo Fayose of the PDP.
Whoever knows him well would know two things about Ayo Fayose, former two term governor of Ekiti state: one, that he passionately loved the PDP and, the other, that he neither minces his words nor talk glibly.
For a very long time, Fayose has vowed never to join the APC and though he said those alluring words about governor Biodun Oyebanji, that is, endorsed him ahead the 2026 election, Nigerians are yet to see him dump the beleaguered party, despite its many troubles.
“Generally speaking, I think we have a lot to thank God for and we must thank our Governor. Everywhere we turn to its BAO. I do exchange notes regularly with him. When I was coming back to the country yesterday morning, I travelled with somebody from the Senate from London, and he said to me: “thank you very much for the Governor. I went to Ekiti for Senator Opeyemi Bamidele’s conferment of an honourary degree. You need to extend the Ekiti magic to the rest of the country to help all of us”.
This is all due to the way and manner our Governor has conducted himself and conveyed his sense of humility and service to the party, both at the national and state levels.
That is why we are all gathered here to happily work with him to accomplish the task of greater development for our people” – Former Ekiti state governor – Dr Kayode Fayemi.
In saying what he did, Governor Fayose was not alone amongst former Ekiti state governors who are not even members of governor Oyebanji’s party but who have endorsed him ahead of 2026.
As far back as August 2024, another respected former Ekiti state governor, Engr Segun Oni has expressed his admiration for the leadership style of Governor Oyebanji as well as his dedication to the development and progress of the state, describing him as exemplary, and a model for others to emulate.
He equally lauded Governor Oyebanji’s commitment to good governance, stressing that his inclusive approach has fostered unity and peace in the state, thereby creating an environment conducive to growth and prosperity.
While noting that he might have different views on certain issues, governor Oni said he will never criticise Oyebanji openly. Rather, he will approach him in a manner that will promote unity, rather than discord”.
Like all the former governors quoted above, I have always, in my writings about governor Oyebanji, popularly known as BAO by the appreciative Ekitis, laid greater emphasis on his statesmanship.
While not underrating the place, and importance of brick and mortar in a state which suffered millenial neglect as a result of disunity amongst its political elite, some of who, unfortunately, permitted unnecessary external interference in its affairs – especially during the shambolic Obasanjo years – for me, like the governors, BAO’s admirable cohering governance model has been far more impactful, and beneficial to the state and its people. One can claim, with considerable justification, and with due apology to all his predecessors, the former helmsmen, that the atmosphere of peace, and near unanimity, in the Ekiti political firmament today is unprecedented.
And that’s the gospel truth.
While we Ekitis do not hate ourselves- since we are all one, any way, some very clever politicians- external to the state – and all, incidentally, of the Peoples Democratic Party – persons like former President Olusegun Obasanjo who actually loathed us, and said so to our faces – were given undue opportunity, by their party members within the state, to so completely insinuate themselves into our politics that instability reigned supreme in the state, up to the point that Ekiti actually had a one day governor.
Things were that bad.
Unlike the peace and harmony governor Oni spoke glowingly about in his praise of BAO, it was not uncommon to see many of our top politicians, even within the same party, who were not on speaking terms.
BAO, God be praised, has changed all that, and although political opponents may still virulently criticise his performance, majority of our people will simply put that to cheap politics.
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It was as a result of all these, and since we say in Ekiti:’pe omo to ba sipa ni iya e ngbe’, the Ekiti State Caucus of the All Progressives Congress, upper Friday, hadn’t any alternative to, unanimously, endorsing both President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Oyebanji for a second term in office, citing their exemplary leadership qualities, and impactful policies.
The endorsement, which came up at a special Caucus meeting of the state chapter of the party, was held in Iyin Ekiti, and attended by the first civilian Governor of the state, Otunba Niyi Adebayo, the immediate past Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi and the incumbent, Mr Biodun Oyebanji.
Moving the motion for the President’s endorsement which was loudly ratified through a voice vote, Senator Yemi Adaramodu (Ekiti South), commended President Tinubu for his decisive economic reforms which are beginning to revitalise the country’s economy as was recently confirmed by the IMF, as well as his security strategies which are aimed at addressing the root causes of insecurity in the country.
Both they appreciate, are work in progress. Adaramodu
described the President’s reforms as transformational and impactful, stressing that the Ekiti APC is, proactively, adopting continuity in order to deepen, and fruitify, the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President.
In the same vein, moving the motion for Governor Oyebanji’s endorsement for re- election, the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adeoye
Aribasoye, said the Governor has demonstrated outstanding leadership qualities, characterised by an unwavering commitment to the peoples’ welfare, as well as ensuring an all – round development of the state.
He praised his sterling performance and for consistently prioritising the needs and aspirations of the citizenry, thereby fostering trust and unity across party lines.
All these, he said, the governor did with integrity and all round dedication and commitment to the development of Ekitis, irrespective of party affiliation.
The result has been tremendous infrastructural development, enhanced security, improved healthcare and educational facilities all positively impacting the socio – economic development of the state.
Although, stricto senso, this is not a write up on BAO’s infrastructural development strides, the write up will be incomplete⁰, if I fail to say a word or two, about his gargantuan achievements in the Health sector, for instance, achievements seen in other spheres of the states economy.
Here I shall not have to re- invent the wheel.
Rather, because of space constraint, I shall simply present an abridged version of a well documented WhatsApp write up on the subject, by Femi Esan who wrote, inter alia:
“In less than two years, here’s a glimpse of what BAO has done in the health sector:
1. Teaching and Tertiary Healthcare Reform.
● Full renovation of Male & Female Medical Wards at the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH)
● Upgrade of the main theatre and installation of high-tech tools: mammogram unit, LED surgical lamps, oxygen plant (ongoing), 10KVA inverter, hospital beds and patient trolleys etc.
● Completion of a state-of-the-art NICU, giving premature babies a fighting chance.
2. General & Secondary Health Facilities
● 9 General Hospitals across Ijan, Ijesa-Isu, Ilawe, Okemesi, Efon-Alaaye, Iye, Ayede, Ifaki, with others now rehabilitated with upgraded diagnostic and surgical equipment.
● Renovation of Health Centres in places like Ilawe, and equipping the Okeyinmi Health Centre in Ado-Ekiti.
● And now, under a bold ward-focused health access strategy, no fewer than 121 Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs), at least one per ward, are undergoing renovation across the state.
The idea behind this is that healthcare shouldn’t be a journey, it should be a right, and it should be close by.
3. Access & Affordability: Health Insurance & ‘Ulera Wa’
● Every ward in Ekiti now has at least one accredited health facility.
● Facilities receive monthly capitation to prepare for emergencies and stock up ahead of time.
● Over ₦30 million per cycle pumped into each facility to maintain steady, proactive service.
And, the crown jewel, the “Ulera Wa” program, a comprehensive answer to free healthcare in Ekiti.
It covers: Pregnant women
Children under 5 Aged & pensioners
Over 1,000 sickle cell warriors, among very many other beneficiaries
And more than 500,000 beneficiaries… and still counting
By June, that figure is projected to hit 1 million.
4. Medical Workforce Reform
● Pay parity for doctors across the Ministry of Health and Hospitals Management Board.
● Renovation of the Dialysis Centre at EKSUTH.
● Completion of a new hostel for nursing students, closing long-standing infrastructure gaps.
5. Health Equity and Inclusion
● Free health scheme for People With Disabilities (PWDs)
● Assistive devices and special needs equipment distributed statewide
● More than a dozen special needs schools now have access to medical support infrastructure
What You Should Know:
● Ekiti now ranked 3rd nationally in the SBM Health Preparedness Index 2024.
● Oyebanji is indeed building a system that works before you scream emergency.
What’s happening is about real people walking into public hospitals and walking out treated, seen, and respected.
It’s about ensuring that healthcare is nearby, affordable, and reliable, not once in a while but every day”.
Above, without a scintilla of doubt is what, in many parts of the country, a governor would pray he could achieve in his two terms of 8 years.
What governor Oyebanji has demonstrated in Ekiti is how, in reality, every state governor, in every part of the country, should endeavour to let President Tinubu’s economic policies impact his own corner of the country.
Rather than wait to see their people chorusing ‘Ebi n pawa’ – we are hungry all over the place – they should let the huge monthly inflow from the federation account – a consequence of fuel subsidy cancellation – reflect on the overall well being of their people.