Tag: Ekiti APC

As the All Progressives Congress (APC) elects its governorship candidate for next year’s poll today, Deputy Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU examines the significance of the democratic primary based on the consensus option.

Today is another important day in Ekiti State. The application of Governor Abiodun Oyebanji, who is seeking re-election, would be considered by All Progressives Congress (APC) faithful, represented by five delegates per ward.

No fewer than 177 delegates are expected to give the ticket to the chief executive of the hilly state at the Ekiti Pavillon in Ado Ekiti, the state capital.

Oyebanji is the lone contestant in the historic shadow poll, which would be conducted by Kogi State Governor Usman Ododo, assisted by his Edo State counterpart, Senator Monday Okpebholo.

Four aspirants started the race in the ruling party. One was disqualified. Another one withrew in dignity. The third, Kayode Ojo, who got a provisional clearance from the Tunji Olawuyi Ajuloopin-led Screening Panel, was disqualified by the National Working Committee (NWC).

Ahead of the exercise, members have held endorsement rallies for the governor, fondly called BAO by admirers, at the wards, local governments, federal constituencies, senatorial districts, and the state level.

It was clear from the multiple endorsements that the party knew where it was heading. Those against the majority opinion were left behind in futile rebellion.

At the weekend, the various wards were busy electing their delegates. Only committed, dedicated and financially compliant members were given the role of primary electors, underscoring the beauty of grassroots democracy, discipline and party supremacy, even at the grassroots.

So far, there is no single complaint from any of the wards across the 16 local governments about the delegate election.

Today’s process is simple and straightforward. The congregation is set for a festival of unity. It is a honourable coronation based on consensus as outlined by the party guidelines.  In the absence of a rival, the outcome is absolutely predictable. The coast is clear for the governor to pick the ticket for the second time.

Ododo: I guarantee a free primary

Ododo has assured of a fair, transparent and credible process in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Ismaila Isah. He promised to be fair to the stakeholders and ensure that the exercise reflects unity, peace, and internal democracy within the party.

Ododo emphasized that his commitment is to oversee a process that will be acceptable to party members, adding that his committee will uphold the integrity and democratic values of the party

He assured that every stakeholder will be carried along in line with the APC guidelines.

READ ALSO: Over $50bn in Crypto transactions passed through Nigeria in one year-SEC

Ododo, who chaired the APC Governorship Primary Election Committee in Ondo State in April last year, expressed confidence that the Ekiti exercise will be peaceful and orderly in line with procedures for internal party democracy.

He said fairness and inclusiveness would be the guiding principles of the committee, assuring that the process that will strengthen the unity of the Ekiti chapter.

The APC, in a letter by National Organizing Secretary Sulaiman Muhammad Argungu announced Ododo’s appointment as Chairman of the committee to supervise the consensus primary.

According to the letter addressed to the Ekiti APC Chairman, Sola Elesin, a lawyer, the Edo governor was appointed Deputy Chairman and Taiwo Sunmonu as Secretary.

Other members of the committee include Iyom Nikky Ejezie,  Elis Ihijator Abraham, Rufus Bature, Latif Ibirogba, Dr. Chibuzor Nduaguba Agu, Chief Dr. Gabriel Oyibode, Chief Hope Dike, and Shehu Umaru Dange, an engineer.

Free and fair delegate poll

The Chairman of the Congress Committee, who is also the Edo State Chairman of the ruling party, Mr Jarret Tenebe, conducted a credible delegates’ Congress ahead of today’s exercise.

On getting to Ado-Ekiti, he addressed reporters  after meeting with party stakeholders at the APC Secretariat inAdo-Ekiti, where he assured them of a free and fair poll.

On Friday, he said: “Well, tomorrow is the delegate congress. We just finished addressing the stakeholders for an interactive discussion. So, tomorrow will be the congress.

“It’s going to happen; we’re going to elect delegates, five delegates from each ward, by tomorrow, and it’s going to be seamless, fair and open. Tomorrow at 10 o’clock, it will begin. That’s what we are going to do.”

Tenebe and his team lived to expectation.

The Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, who spoke with reporters, said the chapter was on course.

With him at the Stakeholders’ Forum were  Elesin, Senior Special adviser to the governor on Political Matters, Chief Jide Awe, Secretary to the Government, Professor Habibat Adubiaro, former House of Representatives member Bimbo Daramola, and local government chairmen.

Bamidele said: “From the party, I expect a celebration of life that all of us are alive to witness, yet another season of election. As you all know, the Ekiti gubernatorial election is an off-season election. It will hold in June 2026, according to our INEC timetable.

“But before then, there will have to be the governorship primary, which is why I’m home. As you also know, our party prescribes three modes of primaries direct, indirect, or consensus.

“The party, after screening all four aspirants, cleared two. And one of the two who were cleared also wrote a beautiful letter to the party, thanking the party for the opportunity to participate in the process and announcing that she was endorsing the other aspirant, who is our sitting governor.

“So, at that point, the party decided that the only option left was the consensus option. However, our constitution requires that even at consensus, there must be an affirmation.

“So, by God’s grace, we are going to be holding our congresses in our various wards. That’s also part of why I’m home because for me to be a delegate, I have to go to my ward and contest election to be one.

“The delegates will then meet on Monday to ratify the consensus candidate of the party. So, the expectation on the part of members of the APC right now is an expectation of celebration and gratitude to God for being alive to witness another election season.”

He added: “We expect continuity, anyone familiar with what has happened in Lagos between 1999 and now will understand the beauty and progress that come with continuity, the harvest of development, economic growth and infrastructure advancement that follow a stable leadership trajectory.

“We’re happy as a state, and we’re looking forward to a governorship primary devoid of rancour where no man will be molested, where no one will lose his life by the grace of God, and where there will be no spilling of blood.”

On the protest in Abuja over the disqualification Ojo that occurred in Abuja, Bamidele, who represents Ekiti Central in the Senate, South senatorial District, Bamidele said it was not a serious protect. However, he assured that there will be reconciliation.

Bamidele said: “I would put it this way: I would speak first as a politician and then as a democrat and statesman.

“As a ,politician, I probably would dismiss what happened in Abuja. Members of staff at the national secretariat of the party called me and said there was a protest going on. I told them, please go there and do a video call, let me see the faces of the people.

“When they did, they counted 17 people at the secretariat, well-dressed, holding placards and it was clear they were well-paid for what they were doing.

“So, as a politician, I would say it is one of those things but as a Democrat and statesman, I would say that for as long as we still have even one person in Nigeria who can be mobilized for whatever reason to carry a placard and protest over something he or she knows nothing about, it shows that we still have work to do.

“We’ll continue to reach out to them. We’ll continue to do our best to ensure reconciliation among all forces.”

He added: “This is not Rivers State. This is not Akwa Ibom State. This is Ekiti, a state with limited resources. Go around the state. Invite our Ekiti people to come home and see what the government has done. Invite those who live outside Ekiti but criticize this administration, challenge them to come and see the developments on the ground.

“Let them go around and see what is happening with the limited resources of this state. Unless we are looking for a magician as governor, I think the record speaks for itself.

“As far as I’m concerned, I am where I am not by coercion. I don’t expect magic from the governor, but I know that given the limited resources, our governor has done well.

“My advice for party members is to be law-abiding, to play by the rules of the game which they have promised to do. I’m sure the party is known for peace. We are very convinced that they will be peaceful in carrying out their activities.”

‘No complaint about delegate congress’

The Chairman of the Ekiti Delegates Congress Appeal Panel, Dr Dennis Otiotio, said no petition was received from any ward after the weekend exercise.

Otiotio, who is the Bayelsa APC chairman, hailed the party members for their demonstration of faith and loyalty to the party.

Speaking with reporters in Ado Ekiti, he attributed the absence of grievance or petition over the delegates congress to the unity and peaceful atmosphere in the party.

Otiotio lauded the peaceful atmosphere and contribution of delegates towards the transparent exercise.

He said the panel did not receive a single petition or complaint from any of the 16 local government areas after the congress.

He said: “As part of the electoral process, the party constituted a five-man appeal panel to receive complaints from aggrieved members regarding the conduct of the delegate congress”.

The APC chieftain said a public notice had been issued and circulated to all APC local government secretariats, inviting members with grievances to submit their petitions between 6pm on the day of the congress and 6 am the following day (yesterday).

Otiotio added: “By 10 a.m., we were ready to review any petitions, but fortunately, none were received. This demonstrates the transparent manner in which the delegates congresses were conducted.

“We commend the committee that handled the process for doing an excellent job.”

Otiotio, who also praised Oyebanji, attributed the unity and peaceful atmosphere within the party to his inclusive governance style.

He said: “It is evident that Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s sterling leadership qualities have fostered harmony within the party. The consensus reached across all wards shows the level of cooperation among members.”

The Appeal Panel chairman expressed confidence that the APC would perform excellently in next year’s governorship election.

He thanked the NWC for the confidence reposed in the appeal panel.

Elesin noted that the delegates congress was conducted peacefully and without any form of malpractice.

He said: “I am glad to inform you that the election was hitch-free across the state.

“We have not received any report of irregularities, and no committee member is being sanctioned.”

Elesin lauded the electoral committee for its diligence and transparency, expressing optimism that the appeal panel would find no issue to contest.

Oyebanji: APC will win all wards next

Oyebanji said APC is working towards winning all 177 wards during the June 20, 2026 poll.

The governor, who spoke at his ward at Ikogosi Ekiti during the delegates congress, praised party members for their unity and peaceful conduct, urging delegates to maintain the same fidelity to the party today.

Oyebanji described the peaceful and orderly conduct as “another demonstration of the maturity and discipline that define the APC in Ekiti State.

He said: “You can see that our members are happy and united in one accord to exercise their franchise. You can also see that in all the wards, delegates were elected by consensus, which speaks to the unity between the leadership and the membership of the party in Ekiti State.

“In the last three years that we have been at the saddle, we have made the party more attractive to people. We have had a lot of members coming in from other parties to join APC because we have been able to deliver on various deliverables.

“I can assure you with God being on our side, the record we want to break, by the grace of God, on June 20 next year, is the record of winning 177 wards. It has never happened in the history of this state before, but on June 20 next year, God being on our side, APC will win convincingly all the 177 wards.”

Civil societies hail congress

Civil society organisations and Independent National Electoral Commission-registered observers hailed the conduct of the delegates’ election.

The Citizen Right For Peace And Non Violence Initiative, Global Development Centre For Rescue Mission Nigeria, and Suitable African Initiative For Suitable And Positive Development released a communique in Ado Ekiti. It was read by their Coordinator, Romanus Azubuike, after the conclusion of the delegates’ Congress.

The CSOs said: “The election was conducted in a peaceful and conducive manner under the watchful presence of various security agencies”.

Azubuike, who said that the CSOs observed the congress in the three senatorial districts, said: “The delegate election took place across all the 177 electoral wards covering the 16 local government areas of the state, in accordance with the party’s guidelines.

“There was an impressive turnout of joyful and enthusiastic party faithful who participated in the exercise. Party officials delegated by the APC National Headquarters carried out their duties credibly and professionally. We appreciate all stakeholders and party members for their orderliness and peaceful conduct throughout the exercise. Ekiti State is peaceful during and after the exercise”.

Azubuike praised Oyebanji for providing a conducive environment for the exercise to take place.

He said: “The governor demonstrated true leadership by not interfering in the process, despite being a candidate in the election.

“We consider this exercise not only crucial but also highly significant, as it represents a vital step toward ensuring a peaceful and transparent primary election, while creating a conducive environment for inclusiveness and fairness.”

All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain and former House of Representatives member Bimbo Daramola spoke with Deputy Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU and Correspondent CHINYERE OKOROAFOR on Ekiti State politics, the achievements of Governor Biodun Oyebanji and issues that would shape the governorship primary in the Fountain of Knowledge.

What are the factors and issues that will shape the next governorship election in Ekiti State?

Let me say this very clearly. Based on reflection, experience, and exposure, I believe several factors will shape the 2027 election.

First, our contemporary history, through a contextual evaluation, will play a major role. Politically, and by reason of the person currently in office, this history cannot be overlooked. Closely tied to this is the issue of performance, as well as how effectively we want to project the party moving forward.

Another important element is our institutionalised democratic culture, which, by extension, will influence the 2027 elections.

All these factors, the history, performance, party projection, and democratic culture, will collectively be very material and consequential in determining the outcome of the election in 2027. I could expand on each of these individually, but ultimately, it is the aggregate of all of them that will shape the direction of our election.

You mentioned performance. Can you shed light on that?

Performance will matter a lot in this election because governance is not only about brick-and-mortar projects. It is not just about “boots on the ground” in terms of infrastructure. There is also the softer side of governance. But let me begin with the tangible, brick-and-mortar side.

Looking at where we are coming from, the question is: has Governor Oyebanji been able to justify his mandate in terms of infrastructure? The answer is yes, and many people agree with that. For instance, the Ado-Ekiti to Ifaki federal road—which I call the “Abiku Road”—lingered since the days of former Governor Olusegun Oni. It passed through successive administrations: Fayemi, Fayose, then Fayemi to Fayose again. None could complete it. But Oyebanji has now delivered that road, spending over N20 billion to finish it after more than a decade. That is a very material project, a major artery that also links to the Isin-bode axis that had long been abandoned.

Within the state, Oyebanji has rehabilitated about 98 intra-town and intra-state roads. As we speak, he is also building an 80-bed multidisciplinary hospital—the first major addition to the Ekiti State Hospital (now Ekiti State Teaching Hospital) since 1971, when General Adeyinka Adebayo launched it. Nobody can deny that this is a landmark development.

On the softer side of governance, no administration in Ekiti has paid as much attention to senior citizens as Oyebanji. He has paid out pensions and gratuities amounting to more than N30 billion to retirees who had given up hope. He did not incur those liabilities, but he took responsibility for them.

Beyond that, he is also investing in the younger generation by building a major cultural and entertainment facility—second only to Lagos—that will draw youths into the booming creative industry and provide them with opportunities to earn a living.

Another critical area is peace and stability. Ekiti used to be a hotbed of crises—one day, one trouble. I was a victim of that myself, attacked twice because of elections. But today, the peace we enjoy is not the peace of the graveyard. Oyebanji has been pivotal in reconciling former enemies and bringing stakeholders together in determining the state’s future. Without this peace, development would have been crippled.

Take Ekiti State University, for example. The alumni association recently bought his nomination form for re-election. Initially, it was a risky bet, but today he has earned that support. Similarly, parts of the state that had been in darkness for about 15 years are now reconnected to the national grid. EKSU itself now runs on 132kv power—the same line that feeds the Government House—boosting learning, research, and innovation.

All of these are tangible results. Even the pension payments, when injected into local communities, circulate within markets in Oja-Oba, Ikere, Erekeso, Ire, Efo, and others, driving the local economy. That is real impact.

So, when you put everything together—roads, hospitals, power, peace, welfare, youth empowerment—it becomes very difficult for anyone to say that Oyebanji does not deserve re-election on the basis of performance. He has discharged his mandate, and I am not in government, but these are things that I can see, feel, and that ordinary people are experiencing.

Why is a section of the party kicking against the statewide endorsement of the governor?

Well, again, you can’t run away from the fact that there will always be dissenting voices. You wouldn’t expect that everybody, over 3.2 million people, will face one direction. That is very unlikely. Some people, for reasons best known to them, will disagree. And of course, the democratic space and latitude allow them to do so. But as we say, the minority will have their say, and the majority will have their way.

If you carry out a statistical analysis of Oyebanji’s support base today, it is clear that this support is not born out of coercion or inducement. It comes from genuine trust that people have in him. Take, for example, Asiwaju becoming President. Didn’t one of his closest friends, the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, oppose him and even support the Labour Party? Who would have thought that? Yet, despite that opposition, Asiwaju’s record, his personality, and his national reach ultimately overshadowed those disagreements.

In the same way, by the grace of God, the performance of Governor Oyebanji, his personal character and the results people can see and relate with, will render any current dissension insignificant.

And let me also say this: it would be risky to gamble with a man like him in this job. Personally, I have not taken even a cup of water from APC in the last 10 years. This is a party we once battered, bruised, and even bled for, some people died, and I only escaped by a whisker. But that is not the point today. The point is that if we must deepen the value and essence of our democratic experience, not only in the Southwest but across Nigeria, then as we approach a very critical election in 2027, the consolidation must start now.

What are the conditions that would guarantee a free and fair primary?

Oh, the conditions are already there. In the past, you would have seen an overbearing influence of government—or the person in government—on the party and the system. But that is not the case here.

First, by nature and character, Governor Oyebanji is not that type of leader. I have known him for over 40 years, and I have never heard him speak a wrong word to anyone. Do you honestly think a man lacking in character, depth, or mental capacity could have been made Secretary of a critical committee like the State of the Nation Committee years ago? He couldn’t have been. People like Baba Afe Babalola and other respected leaders must have deliberately headhunted him for that role. Since then, his public profile has grown steadily, and that trajectory has prepared him for the job he holds today.

He is someone who understands what the founding fathers of the state had in mind when they envisioned Ekiti. He is the bridge between Baba Afe’s generation and the future we want. How do you simply remove such a person from his job? He is methodical, respectable, and respectful. Who among his potential opponents can match his reputation, his record of public service, or his trajectory? Nobody. These qualities—what in medicine you might call “congenital realities”—are inherent, and he has only built on them with experience, exposure, and personality.

That is why people are genuinely rallying around him. For instance, I organise a monthly health and fitness event in the state—the BAO Walk. Thousands of people turn out every third Saturday of the month. The governor has never once attended, and I do not pay anyone to show up. Yet we put 20,000 Ekiti people on the road at 7 a.m. every month, unbroken. Why? Because the brand—Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji—is superlatively strong.

So, whoever wants to contest against him must know that it is not just about Oyebanji as a person, but about consolidation of progress. If we shake him out of this position, the risk is that people will ask: “Why did you remove a man who served so well?” That would be a dangerous gamble.

Read Also: We’ll not close our doors against others in 2027 – APC

Governor Oyebanji is a systemic and institutional leader. He always says, “Thank God the President is with us; the President has supported me to do what I’m doing.” That tells you he sees governance as part of a bigger system, not a personal project.

This is why consolidation is so important. Ekiti has never had a smooth transmission of power from one administration to another without interruptions, crises, or breaks. This is the first time we have the opportunity to deepen that culture—where a man serves, delivers, and earns continuity. If we disrupt it, we risk cracking the wall and opening space for instability.

Oyebanji is best suited to continue. From the day he finished reading his inauguration speech, it has been clear: the work continues. At this point, we don’t need downtimes or gambles. We just need plug-and-play leadership—and Oyebanji is the only one who fits that role.

How is Ekiti now registering to vote?

And if we must kill that apathy you talked about, thank you for raising this issue, we must first ask: why are people disinterested in politics today? It’s because they say, “Leave them, it doesn’t matter.”

When you see a huge endorsement that genuinely comes from the people, from their hearts, and someone still tries to undermine it, then you are already creating room for apathy. The only way to ignite trust is to let the will of the people be done, after the will of God.

Now, who else can come into this race with the kind of impressive reputation and profile that Governor Oyebanji has, and with what he has achieved in office? If you cut this administration short, though nothing suggests that, it would be a great disservice. Our people must be primed to understand that, as the saying goes, one good turn deserves another. And with Oyebanji, it can only get better.

This is a plug-and-play situation. We don’t need downtimes anymore. We can’t gamble with the fate, fortunes, and future of two million people. All the discussions Oyebanji has held, all the commitments and goodwill he has secured, he secured them while in office, for the benefit of Ekiti. What happens now will determine whether those gains are sustained.

And don’t forget: we have a critical election coming up in 2027. What happens in Ekiti will be very consequential, because after Ekiti comes Osun, and then the general elections. That is why we must manage this decision carefully, to ensure that the consolidation we expect President Bola Tinubu to achieve starts right here in Ekiti.

How fully united is the party behind the governor?

I believe very strongly that the party is rock-solid. Rock-solid. These endorsements you see are not purchased. Some may suggest they are staged or bought, but no, that is not who we are. The Ekiti people I know are genuinely behind him, and the APC as a party is solidly behind him.

Of course, there may be pockets of discontent. Some individuals who have served in cabinets or held positions may feel, “I haven’t gotten what I wanted.” But politics doesn’t always give you exactly what you want. Most times, you don’t. For example, I first contested in 2007, but only managed to enter the House of Representatives between 2011 and 2015. Since then, I have invested so much, financially and personally, into building this party. Yet, in the last 10 years, I have not received even a cup of water from APC. At one point, I was pushed out of the party for six months, but I still came back.

So yes, there will always be pockets of discontent. But the truth is that, in the aggregate, the overwhelming opinion of APC faithful today is about 80% in support of Oyebanji.

For the primary, which option would you suggest—consensus, direct, or indirect?

Well, if we decide to go with consensus, some people will immediately say, “Oh, you are shrinking the democratic space.” But I believe we should let the people speak—just like they spoke in Ondo. The model used in Ondo was direct primaries, and it allowed the people to freely express themselves.

That is the best way to test whether these endorsements are genuine or just flukes. In Ondo, during the last election, the deputy governor tried to succeed his boss. There were nine aspirants in that race, with three top contenders. Yet the people spoke clearly through the process, and they voted for Lucky Aiyedatiwa. That is democracy in action.

So, I don’t see why our party should not allow the people to speak as well. After all, elections are about the sovereignty of the people. It is their referendum, their voice. So let the people speak.

Is this nomination politics not diverting the government’s attention from other developmental priorities?

No, I don’t think so. I believe the governor is focused enough to know his priorities. He always says this everywhere: if you want to go and vote, exercise your franchise the way you want, but let it be peaceful. If there were a Nobel Prize for Peace in this country, Governor Oyebanji would win it hands down for what he has done.

Let me give you an example. Somebody once approached me and said, “Oga, buy me a POS machine.” I bought him one so he could do the business. A week later, he came back and said he wanted to return the money and the machine because some people were attacking POS operators. I told him to wait and see how it would go. True to his style, Governor Oyebanji—who doesn’t talk much, a quiet and reserved man who works silently—sprang into action within four or five days. Till today, that same young lady called me, under God, and said, “Oga, please help me thank your friend, Governor Oyebanji. We POS operators are now doing our business in peace. There has been no crisis.”

Have you also forgotten that EKSU used to be notorious for cult clashes, gang fights, and needless killings that cut young lives short? Today, do we still witness that? When was the last time you heard of a crisis at EKSU? Now, the governor is turning the sod of the pharmacy department, alongside six other projects. He has increased subventions to EKSU and other institutions. So what more do you want to say?

We don’t want promissory notes. No. We want results, not “I will do.” We want “See what I have done.” Those are two different things. And truly, in every sector, the governor has shown results. I’m not saying, by any stretch of imagination, that the work is done and dusted. No. But as the Bible says, “Thus far has the Lord helped us.” We can only expect Governor Oyebanji to build on what he has already achieved—not someone new who will waste six or seven months just trying to figure out what is happening in the Ministry of Agriculture or the Ministry of Infrastructure. No, no, no. We don’t have that kind of time. That’s a luxury we cannot afford.

Action Congress (AC), ACN, and APC primaries used to be rancorous in Ekiti. How can that be averted?

I contested in 2018 for governor. There were 30 people on the ballot. Asiwaju was nearly frustrated at that time because Chief Oyegun, the then national chairman of the party, almost insulted him over all of us. Yes, Asiwaju, our leader, was nearly insulted by Oyegun because he said he could not tell any of his “children” to withdraw. He was frustrated and exasperated.

But today, can you see what Oyebanji has done? Everybody acknowledges it. Listen, a man who can pull Ayo Fayose and Segun Oni to the same table, who can bring Kayode Fayemi and Segun Oni into the same room, and who aligns with Baba Afe and Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN)—that cannot be a mediocre, a fool, or a stupid person.

And then you also have the likes of Ade Eyi and Senator Opeyemi Bamidele. A man who is able to bring all of these leaders into the same room is indeed the pivot for the peaceful future of Ekiti State. We cannot afford to gamble with him.

How will the primary be between Kayode Ojo and BAO?

I believe my brother, Kayode Ojo, has the democratic latitude and license to express his opinion and to test his popularity. I also believe that the minority will have their say, but the majority will have their way.

The Ekiti State All Progressives Congress (APC) Elders’Forum under the chairmanship of Prof. Muyiwa Igbalajobi and the secretary, Engr. Babatunde Odetola, has paid tribute to its former chairman, Asiwaju George Akosile, who passed on last year.

In a statement, the group urged party faithful to build on the legacy of unity erected by the deceased progressive politician.

The former chairman of Ekiti State Alliance for Democracy (AD)  died on June 15,  2023.

  The statement reads: “Asiwaju George Akosile was a rare breed politician, a pragmatic leader, a positive democrat and a bridge builder. He was a member of committee for the creation of Ekiti State and a founding member of APC in Ekiti State.

“The Forum is using this medium to thank all the well-wishers that supported in no small measure to the posting of a befitting state burial for our late leader.

“We cannot but mention His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Ekiti State, Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji and His amiable wife Her Excellency, Dr. (Mrs.) Olayemi Oyebanji, Her Excellency, Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, Chief (Mrs). Monisade Christianah Afuye, Former Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. John Kayode Fayemi, all members of of the National Assembly, Hon. Speaker and members of Ekiti State House of Assembly, the Vicar and congregations of St. James’ Anglican Church, Igbara Odo-Ekiti, many political bigwigs and dignitaries so numerous to mention that graced the occation.

Read Also: DSS alerts on Democracy Day “sinister” protests

“The Forum as a matter of courtesy is appealing to His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Ekiti State, Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji, that the name of Chief Akosile should be immortalized for his numerous contributions to the sustenance and development of Ekiti state and our great party APC in Ekiti State by building a secretariat for Ekiti State Elders’Forum named GEORGE AKOSILE CENTRE so that his name would not be forgotten.

“The Forum is appealing to the entire family of Late Chief George Akosile JP to be united in order to uphold the dignity and respect as commanded by the late elder statesman.

“The entire APC family in Ekiti State is encouraged to uphold the tenets and desires of Late Asiwaju George Akosile in the development of our Ekiti State.”