Tag: Oyebanji

Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, on Tuesday gave formal assent to the 2026 Appropriation Bill into law valued at N415.573bn.

The governor also signed two other bills including and the Ekiti State Revenue Administration Law, 2025, and the Ekiti State College of Technology, Ijero-Ekiti Bill, 2025, passed by the state House of Assembly.

Speaking at the signing ceremony in Ado -Ekiti,the state capital,Oyebanji described the three legislative acts as critical to the realisation of his administration’s shared prosperity agenda. 

The governor, said the development was a product of collaboration between the executive and legislative arms, adding that the timely passage of the budget would ensure the sustenance of the January–December fiscal cycle in line with global best practices.

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He said that the 2026 budget, christened the “Budget of Sustainable Governance, stood at N415,572,070,139.44, with 47 per cent allocated to capital expenditure and 53 per cent to recurrent expenditure.

Oyebanji explained that the budget was prepared after wide consultations with Ekiti people and strictly aligned with the six pillars of his administration derived from the Ekiti State Development Plan 2021–2050.

He noted that the priority areas in the 2026 fiscal year include the completion of ongoing projects, food security, wealth creation and infrastructural development, noting that the budget would also help the government consolidate its achievements as it approaches the end of its first term in office.

The governor also announced the signing of the Ekiti State Revenue Administration Law, 2025, describing it as a bold step towards transparency, accountability and business-friendly governance. 

He said Ekiti had become the first state in the federation to align its internal revenue laws with the four new National Tax Reform Acts.

Oyebanji said the new law repealed the Ekiti State Board of Internal Revenue Law, 2019 (as amended), eliminated manual billing and cash transactions, adopted a fully electronic payment system and introduced measures to curb double taxation and extortion. 

He added that the law would harmonise taxes between the state and local governments while strengthening the Ekiti State Internal Revenue Service as the sole revenue-collecting agency.

On the Ekiti State College of Technology, Ijero-Ekiti Law, the governor said the legislation repealed the former College of Health Sciences and Technology Law of 2019, effectively upgrading the institution to a polytechnic. 

He said the new legislative act had made provisions for improved funding, staff welfare, academic programmes as well as infrastructure to ensure a seamless transition.

Oyebanji commended the Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Adeoye Aribasoye, and other lawmakers for their support, the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning and the Ekiti State Internal Revenue Service for their roles in budget preparation and revenue reforms.

He also expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for his continued support for Ekiti State, assuring residents that his administration would continue to pursue policies aimed at improving the welfare and prosperity of the people.

The Arinjale of Ise- Ekiti, Oba Adetunji Ayodele Ajayi, has appealed to Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji to intervene in the rehabilitation of roads and renewal of infrastructures in the community.

Oba Ajayi said the deplorable condition of both internal and access roads had continued to hinder economic activities and ease of movement within the town.

The traditional ruler made the appeal on Tuesday in Ise-Ekiti, headquarters of Ise /Orun local government area of the state, during a press conference to herald the 2025 edition of the annual Ojoaduse festival.

Oba Ajayi also called for the upgrading of public infrastructure in the community, including health facilities, schools, water supply, electricity, and drainage systems, saying modern infrastructure was key to improving the quality of life of residents and curbing rural–urban migration.

He commended indigenes of Ise-Ekiti in the diaspora for their consistent support of community projects and the Ojoaduse Festival, urging them to sustain their contributions.

The monarch explained that the annual Ojoaduse Festival remained a unifying cultural institution that had helped to preserve the heritage and identity of the people of Ise-Ekiti while also driving community development.

He noted that activities associated with the festival had led to improvements in the palace, the development of a civic centre, and increased visibility for the town, attracting partnerships as well as investments.

Oba Ajayi added that the gains recorded so far demonstrated that culture and development could work together to promote social cohesion and economic growth when properly coordinated by community leaders in collaboration with the government.

Oba Ajayi further appealed to youths, professional bodies, religious groups, and market associations to take collective ownership of the festival to ensure its sustainability and relevance for future generations.

He reaffirmed his commitment to peace, unity, harmony, and inclusive growth and development, expressing confidence that with the support of the government and the collective efforts of indigenes, Ise-Ekiti would witness accelerated development.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has congratulated Governor of Ekiti State, Biodun Oyebanji, on his 58th birthday, commending his record of public service and stewardship in the state.

In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President described Oyebanji as a dedicated public servant whose contributions to Ekiti’s growth span decades, beginning from his role as Secretary to the Committee on the Creation of Ekiti State.

Tinubu recalled that Oyebanji served as Special Adviser and later Chief of Staff to Ekiti’s first civilian governor, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo, before going on to hold other key positions, including Commissioner for Integration and Intergovernmental Affairs during the first term of former governor Dr Kayode Fayemi, and Secretary to the State Government.

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The President noted that Oyebanji, who was elected governor in 2022, has since consolidated governance in the state and recently secured the All Progressives Congress nomination to seek a second term in 2026.

Tinubu particularly praised the infrastructural strides recorded under the governor’s watch, highlighting progress in agriculture and aviation. 

He congratulated Oyebanji on the completion of the Ekiti Agro-Allied International Airport in Ado-Ekiti and the commencement of flight operations at the facility, describing it as a major milestone for the state’s economic development.

The President wished the Ekiti governor many more years of good health and continued impactful leadership, urging him to sustain the pace of development for the benefit of the people of the state.

Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has charged the new commissioners and Special Advisers to justify their return to office through improved performance, commitment, and loyalty, warning that anyone who fails to measure up would lose relevance in the administration.

Speaking on Tuesday during the swearing-in ceremony held at Jibowu Hall, Government House, Ado-Ekiti, the governor reminded the appointees that their positions were held at the pleasure of the governor and must be matched with demonstrable results.

Oyebanji recalled that he inaugurated the cabinet on August 8, 2023, but dissolved it in line with constitutional provisions and global practices, noting that the break offered room for evaluation and “necessary refuelling” for the tasks ahead.

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He said the last three years of working with the cabinet had produced significant progress in infrastructure, agriculture, education, health, arts and culture, and socioeconomic development, but stressed that some members needed to “double up” to remain relevant in the new council.

He added that the decision to return all former cabinet members was influenced by party leaders’ desire for stability ahead of the 2026 governorship poll, urging the appointees that “you would have to justify your pay going forward.”

Oyebanji urged the commissioners to immediately get to work, saying the administration’s six strategic Pillars of Development were already familiar to them.

According to him, “there is no time for frivolities or infantile triumphalism” at a time when the government still owes the people much more.

Oyebanji urged members of the cabinet to maintain a strong presence in their communities and stay connected to the grassroots, cautioning them against isolating themselves in the state capital under the guise of busy schedules.

“As the candidate of our great party, the APC, all hands must be on deck. But governance must not suffer, and government processes must not dither. You must find the balance and go the extra mile.”

The governor restated that the renewed mandate required diligence, transparency, and innovation, insisting that government business must be guided by probity, accountability, and frugality.

He told the appointees that the final stretch toward the end of his first term was the most critical, saying, “like a relay race, the last leg is the most important. We must give it our best.

He congratulated the commissioners, urging them to return to their ministries ready to hit the ground running and deliver on the administration’s six-pillar development agenda.

Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, will inaugurate the reappointed commissioners and special advisers on Tuesday, December 9, 2025.

In a statement made available to newsmen in Ado-Ekiti on Monday, by the Special Adviser (Media) to the Governor, Olayinka Oyebode, said the ceremony will take place at Jibowu Hall, Government House, Ado-Ekiti at 4.00 pm.

The Governor had last week forwarded a list of 18 former commissioners to the State House of Assembly for screening and confirmation.

The list includes Prof Bolaji Aluko, Rt. Hon Taiwo Olatunbosun, Mr Akintunde Oyebode, Mr Ajobiewe Kolawole, Chief Folorunso Olabode, Otunba Dolamu Adeniyi, Rt. Hon Karounwi Oladapo, Mrs Peju Babafemi, Mr Atibioke Ojo Olaiya, Chief (Mrs) Tosin Aluko, Mr Awe Abimbola Olufemi.

Others are: Prof Patrick Tedela, Mr Seun Fakuade, Mr Adedayo Gold Adesola, Dr Kareem Makanjuola Akande, Prof Rasaki Ojo Bakare, and Hon Kayode Fasae. And Hon Femi Ajayi.

Meanwhile, Governor Oyebanji has appointed Mr Bunmi Talabi as a Special Adviser.

Until the new appointment, Talabi was the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Special Projects.

Also, the Special Advisers who were affected by the cabinet dissolution have also been recalled and will be inaugurated alongside the Commissioners on Tuesday.

They include: Chief Jide Awe, Arch Tope Ogunleye, Hon Gbenga Agbeyo, Hon Yemisi Ayokunle, Mr Gbenga Oloniyo, Mrs Oluremi Babington, Chief (Mrs) Kemi Olaleye, Hon Abiola Olowokere, Mr Akinleye Sunday, and Mr Ayeni Odunayo Adeola.