By Victor Ogunje
Most troubling crisis now brewing in Ekiti State, is the desperation of the opposition to turn the state into a rumour mill. This situation didn’t surge, because Governor Biodun Oyebanji was not offering the right leadership, but for some pugnacious opposition figures, who were skewing facts and churning out lies, in a dangerous bid to scuttle the governor’s reelection in 2026.
In a succinct fashion, the forthcoming poll has provided a propitious ground for opponents to embark on a voyage of unwarranted attacks, knowing full well that they are not on ground. They are pummeled and bogged down by burdens of inabilities to challenge Governor Oyebanji in a popularity contest. They knew this will be herculean. It was an actuality that they can’t match up the electrifying mass appeal being savoured by the governor due to his uncanny proclivity for good performance and delivery.
The weak and depleted opposition, perceived defeat staring them in the face. It was lucid to them that they are going to face scandalous trouncing. This has forced them to start pulling a dangerous string on social media, where they only exist, to derail the governor. However, all their efforts have been futile, like the proverbial “venom of a viper that does nothing to the shell of a tortoise”.
Looking at the Ekiti’s political landscape with wider optics, it is obvious that the opposition sparsely exists. If one surveys across all the 177 wards and 2,195 statutory units, Governor Oyebanji’s acceptability spirals on daily basis like a raging fire in the harmattan. His opponents only exist on social media, roaring like a wounded lion looking for whom to devour. Their lies were cunningly woven around government’s projects. They spewed out bogus figures about government’s spendings to blight the integrity of the government and plummet his soaring popularity.
They began their devilish actions, by branding the now functional and effective Ekiti State Agro allied International Airport as a conduit pipe to pillage the state’s resources. They painted a lugubrious picture that the facility can never be functional, but they got utterly disappointed. The airport was not only effective in operations, efforts are underway to begin 24-hour operation.
There wasn’t any straw, no matter how feeble these self- appointed critics haven’t clutched onto to lash out at the governor. At a time they said he was spending humongous amount of money to curry the favours of former Governors Niyi Adebayo, Segun Oni, Ayo Fayose and Kayode Fayemi. All they wanted to do was to decline crediting the governor for possessing the political wizardry and legendary magnetic force to manage all political tendencies and keep the right people in his fold.
It is not an overstatement to aver that the opposition has never been this debased and emasculated in Ekiti political history. The most visible of them: the People’s Democratic Party, is the worst hit. The party is so ripped that its centre can no longer hold. Many of its members are now contemplating joining the proposed coalition party in Social Democratic Party. Ordinary ward Congress, the party couldn’t conduct successfully and they are boasting that they will thwart Oyebanji’s reelection. What a delusion of grandeur!
Rather than rally their members and concentrate on mobilisation across the units and wards, they now perceive social media stunts as a strength. They lie everyday with impunity and reckless abandon. The few enemies within the All Progressives Congress’ fold, are also coalescing with them to undo a governor that has the masses as his fortress and nudging spirit.
The opposition combed and rummaged every corner and became confounded with the high level of integrity and ethical standards the governor has upheld. They have realised that nothing incriminating can be traced to him, except they lie to gain some lifeline. These shenanigans have refused to gain tractions.
One of the critics’ show of shame, was the accusation of neglect and non-performance leveled against the governor over the decrepit state of Aramoko-Erio-Itawure road that is laden with potholes and craters. They have forgotten that Ekiti State expended over N15 billion on the construction of the Ado-Iworoko- Ifaki dual carriage federal road that won’t be refunded to the coffers of the state. With the lean resources accruing to Ekiti, it would be callous for anyone to think in his wildest imagination that Ekiti should continue to fix federal roads when the federal government has been explicit that no refund will be made for such expenditure.
Few days after the contract award of the Ado Ekiti second flyover, there was a swirling rumour that the project was contracted to former Ekiti governors as a way of pocketing them. What a shabby and lowly way of criticism. Ideally, criticism should be at the level of intellectualism, and not as pedestrian as these people have become. Records are there that the former governors have no connections with this project. These are verifiable facts.
However, the governor has not relented in his reflexive knack to manage situations . As a great leader that he is, he has been applying three- pronged approach to put his enemies at bay. He operates an open door policy. The costs of all projects being undertaken in Ekiti are made available on the state’s website. No hidden agenda, because of the governor’s strong financial discipline and spartan nature.
Two, he has assured those self- appointed enemies within his party that he is ready for primary. Though, he is entitled to a right of first refusal, but he assured of his disposition to face anyone in the primary and make the process democratic. Three, he is fulfilling his electioneering promises to the workers, artisans, women, children, drivers, motorcycle riders and all the strata of the society.
To demonstrate this, Oyebanji was one of the few governors to implement the N70,000 Minimum Wage across board immediately it was signed into law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Even the political office holders enjoyed this dividend being the first in the history of the state. Today, payment of salaries, pension and gratuity, is now a right, and not a privilege. Workers and retirees don’t need to grovel before having their pays. As at the last count, over 4,000 teachers, civil servants and local government staff have been employed into the state civil service, while a total of 20,000 have been empowered in the non-public sector, including farming, where over 1,000 youth are now making profitable exploits.
The governor’s midas touch has also reached critical economic sectors like education , where he has built a modern school in Ikere Ekiti to widen access to educational institution by children of school age. The airport facility is now breaking barriers and exposing Ekiti to better opportunities at local, national and international levels. Several inter and intra state roads are under construction, while many towns are being reconnected back to the national grid to spur the local economy and bring a slump to the poverty index.
The multi billion sports complex, the International Cultural Centre, the Ekiti State MSMEs Clinic and garment hub called Adire Ekiti Hub, are areas being used to add panache to Ekiti’s growth rate. The issue of security is also being given priority, with adequate funding of the paramilitary agencies like the Amotekun Corps, Peace Corps and Ekiti Agro Marshall Corps. Gone were the days when cross border bandits were terrorizing the state. They had now been put at check permanently.
Little wonder, all the strata of the society: the statesmen and political leaders, media, labour leaders, traditional rulers and other pivotal population have endorsed Oyebanji for a second term. This endorsements were a novelty in the history of the state. Some past governors struggled to get second term. With the political matrixes playing out in Ekiti today, the governor may likely get his reelection ticket on a platter of gold. He even has a brighter chance to win in a landslide fashion in the main poll.
At different fora in Ekiti State, former governors Kayode Fayemi, Niyi Adebayo, Segun Oni and Ayo Fayose, had overtly endorsed Governor Oyebanji for second term. Ayo Fayose and Segun Oni, who are of the PDP and SDP extractions, had consistently made their feelings known that the current government has performed creditably well and deserve being returned. The former governors did this with open hearts. They damned the consequences to stand with the truth.
As of today, more than five respectable Media houses, had garlanded Governor Oyebanji with honours. They included: Vanguard Newspapers, Telegraph Newspapers, Daily Independent Newspapers, Energy Times and Silverbird Television. These colourful awards were considered based on merit and not by purchasing power. If it was through buying and selling, Ekiti might be the last to have them. They were majorly based on merit and public perception. The judgements of the media houses about Governor Oyebanji couldn’t have been totally wrong.
The leadership of the trade unions in Ekiti State, had also found Governor Oyebanji worthy in character and performance rating. The Chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress, Com Kola Olatunde, had at a recent parley with the Deputy Governor, Chief Monisade Afuye, described Oyebanji as a leader, who places high premium on the payment of workers’ salary, pension and gratuity, thereby reducing poverty in their ranks. Com. Olatunde, eulogised Governor Oyebanji for not betraying the confidence reposed by workers and Ekiti populace in his leadership. He averred that the government, had succeeded in gaining the trust of his colleagues through prompt payment of all benefits due to them and abated the culture of mutual distrust in the system.
“The entire workforce of Ekiti State is pleased with the leadership being offered by a governor Oyebanji. He has been able to foster confidence in the system by fulfilling some of the promises and pacts he had made with us. We are indeed proud of his leadership.
“I am not saying he has done everything , but he has been able to substantially address some of the issues like payment of gratuity, payment of deductions and some other allowances. This is a great hallmark of leadership and we are pleased with him”, Olatunde stated.
Even the respectable and highly apolitical traditional rulers were not left out in the endorsements spree being savoured by the governor. The Ekiti State Traditional Rulers, under the auspices of Majority Obas of Ekiti Land (MOBEL), recently predicted a landslide victory for the Governor in his reelection bid in 2026. The monarchs predicated their prediction on the level of peace, development, stability, and mutual respect being accorded Ekiti people, including all the monarchs by the Governor, saying these have endeared the government to the populace and critical stakeholders.
The new leadership of MOBEL, led by its Chairman and Ojurin of Ijurin Ekiti, Oba Afolabi Joachim Ajibola, gave this sound verdict . The monarchs promised that MOBEL, comprising grades A, B and C hierarchical monarchs, would coalesce actions with government to instil peace and stability in all the towns.
“We are grateful to Governor Oyebanji for prioritising our welfare and for his love, respect and humility to the traditional rulers. I must say that we have been having governments in Ekiti, but this government is different and special. We are assuring you that the second term of His Excellency, Biodun Oyebanji is sure. Even after you leave office, Ekiti will continue to respect you”, he stated.
The rapport between Governor Oyebanji and the National Assembly members has been robust, if not invincible. In support of Governor Oyebanji’s significant investment in the welfare of children with disabilities, the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, recently donated two mini-buses, two motorcycles, and 25 wheelchairs to the Therapy Centre for Children with Disabilities in Ado-Ekiti. The Senator expressed satisfaction with the cordial relationship between Governor Oyebanji and members of the Ekiti State caucus of the National Assembly. Senator Bamidele assured the Governor that caucus members would continue to support his people-oriented programmes and policies aimed at improving the living standards of Ekiti people.
He praised Governor Oyebanji’s commitment to the welfare of children with disabilities, noting that the therapy centre is the first state-owned facility of its kind in the country. He promised to facilitate the construction of a bigger therapy centre as part of his constituency project next year.
“Let me begin by thanking His Excellency, our Governor, for bringing me here to see what’s happening. I also want to thank the state government for conceptualizing this initiative. I extend my gratitude to the workers, the volunteer parents, the professionals, and all the interveners here. I am glad to be here, and I believe we need to attract all the encouragement we can from the Federal Government.
“The Governor has made a specific request. I always describe our relationship as a partnership that is working for the people of our state. By the grace of God, I will prioritize this as my number one constituency project for 2026. From my budget of N1.5 billion for construction, I will take it on, and by God’s grace, we will commence work here next year. In the meantime, let us see how we can maintain the current facilities and explore corporate social responsibility interventions until the new building is ready.”
Periscoping all the parameters to winning elections, Oyebanji stands on a vantage cliff. He gains velocity on daily basis, in terms of popularity and acceptability. The opposition should be intuitive that their diatribes and social media hoopla have only been a launching pad , rather than demobilisation weapons to the governor. The sooner they realise their folly, the better.
• Ogunje is special Assistant on Media to Ekiti State Deputy Governor
