- ‘Why there is no vacancy in Ekiti Government House’
There is peace in Ekiti State because of Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s style that has fostered inclusion, wider participation and unity.
For the first time, Ekiti has a governor who is at home with, not only the ruling party, but also opposition figures and most stakeholders, who are disposed to a government of continuity beyond 2025.
Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele (Ekiti Central) spoke the mind of the people last week when he submitted that there is no vacancy in Ekiti Government House. Remarkably, the former governors, irrespective of their different political leanings, have tipped Oyebanji for a second term. To Niyi Adebayo, Ayodele Fayose and Kayode Fayemi, there is no need for power shift.
Bamidele declared that the Ekiti State Caucus in the National Assembly would also join hands with other progressive-minded people to support Governor Biodun Oyebanji for second term.
He said the federal lawmakers endorsed the governor, based on the his excellent performance and exemplary leadership quality.
The Senate Leader, who spoke at Igede-Ekiti during an inspection of some of his constituency projects in Ekiti Central District, said the National Assembly members would soon publicly declare their support for the governor’s second term in office.
The declaration, he said, would be give wide publicity in all the national dailies and broadcast media.
Bamidele who was accompanied on the project inspection and inauguration by Oyebanji, said the Governor’s transformative leadership and people oriented policies and programmes has brought a lot of significant development to the state and its people.
The Senate Leader who affirmed that Oyebanji’s ability to unify every political tendencies in the state and mobilize the people for development has brought a huge and significant growth to the state.
He explained that the governor has continued to collaborate with members of the National Assembly and get them actively involved in his development agenda.
The Senator said he is able to carry out a lot of constituency projects across the six local governments that make up his Central District because the governor has created and sustained an atmosphere of peace and tranquility in the state that is devoid of hostility and mutual suspicion.
He said the peaceful atmosphere, coupled with the Governor’s open hands to the various political tendencies has encouraged everyone to contribute his quotas to the development of the state.
“I want to use this opportunity to thank our Governor, I say this everywhere I go to, if you elected somebody to represent you in Abuja and he comes back home to do something it is because they allow him to come back home. If they don’t allow us, we will just remain in Abuja, we will not pass our boundary.
“But we have a Governor today who will sit down with us and say this is what our people need, if you want to do your constituency project, please, work on this list and I know that market development was part of what the Governor discussed with us, transformer was part of it, solar street light was part of it and by the grace of God every member of the national Assembly would pick from the list given to us by the Governor because if we do not do what the people want at where they want it, it will be useless.
“Your Excellency, we are proud of you and I know that by the grace of God like everyone is saying, anybody that thinks there is vacancy in 2026 is only deceiving himself and I am begging you, don’t let anybody deceive our people. You sent nine of us to Abuja, three senator and six House of Representative members and at the appropriate time, the nine of us will do our advert jointly signed endorsing Governor Oyebanji as our consensus candidate in all the dailies” the Senator stated.
“Speaking further, the Senator who promised to rebuild the Igede- Ekiti market to Iyin Ekiti standard, said all the market, solar power, roads and hospital projects would be replicated across the six local Government areas on the district.
Oyebanji hailed the commitment of the Senator Leader and his colleagues in the National Assembly to Ekiti development adding that their exemplary performance underscored the importance of electing people of proven integrity and capacity as representatives in government.
At the weekend, Ekiti APC Caucus also endorsed tje governor. The chapter said Oyebanji has represented the party and he deserves a second term to sustain the good work.
The caucus is the highest decision making body of the party at both the state and the federal level.
At the meeting convened in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, by the former Governor Niyi Adebayo, were the acting party Chairman, Olusola Elesin, former Governor Kayode Fayemi, the three senators representing the state, Senators Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, Yemi Adaramodu (South) and Cyril Fasuyi (North), and the six members of the House of Representatives-Biodun Omoleye, Sola Fatoba, Akin Rotimi, Kolawole Akinlayo, Femi Bamisile and AVM Adeniyi Ojuawo.
Governor Oyebanji was present with his deputy, Chief Monisade Afuye, the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Adeoye Aribasoye, his deputy, Bolaji Olagbaju, Chief Whip Bosede Olowookere, and Physical Planning Commissioner Karounwi Oladapo.
Also at the meeting were all leaders provided for by the party constitution, including former party chairman Chief Jide Awe, past deputy chairman, ChiefKemi Olaleye, former Deputy Governors Abiodun Aluko and Prof Modupe Adelabu, former members of the National Assembly, past speakers and deputy speakers of the House of Assembly, members of the national and zonal executive members of the party and the statutorily recognised members of the State Exco of the party.
Also present were Senator Babafemi Ojudu, and former House of Representatives members Bimbo Daramola, Hon. Bamidele Faparusi,
Adebayo applauded the stakeholders and the governor for building a good name for the party, urging the leaders to always speak with one voice and not allow any crack within the fold.
Fayemi urged support for Oyebanji, particularly the way he has been relating with members of the opposition, saying whatever any form of olive branch the governor had been waving towards the them would not affect the members negatively, but count for the ruling party.
Elesin reeled out the activities of the party at the state level, especially since the demise of his predecessor in office, Paul Omotosho.
He urged the party leaders to consider the party secretariat as a priority project and legacy in honour of the later party chairman, who was codenamed ‘Mr. Continuity’ in his lifetime as a result of the midwifery role he played.
Senator Bamidele spoke on behalf of the Senate Caucus; Bamisile on behalf of the the Representatives Caucus, Aribasoye on behalf of the State Assembly Caucus and Prof Muyiwa Igbalajobi spoke on behalf of party elders.
Other speakers included Yemisi Ayokunle (Women Caucus) Pa Gabriel Faluyi, Pa Alaba Bejide, HAluko, and Awe.
At the end of the meeting it was concluded that while the campaign time was still not ripe, the good work of Oyebanji should be encouraged to continue and continually proclaimed by all.
It was a busy day for Oyebanji as he also traversed many communities in Ekiti Central for the flag off of projects facilitated by the Senate Leader.
The projects, which are of immense economic, social and educational value included male and female hostels for medical students of Ekiti State University, a two kilometer road within the campus, an old people’s home, modern night market, a road project all in his country home, Iyin Ekiti as well as a digital library in Ado- Ekiti among others.
Inaugurating the digital Library in Ado-Ekiti, Oyebanji commended the developmental strides of Senator Bamidele and how he had cooperated with his administration in the state by attracting many federal projects to the state. The Governor also called on residents of the area to continue to give their maximum support to the Senator in his efforts to contribute to the overall development of the state.
The governor, who also eulogized Senator Bamidele’s leadership capacity, especially on his role as the Senate leader, noted that he had been a unifying factor among Senators irrespective of tribe or religion.
Emphasising the need to utilize the library facility, the Governor appealed to students and youths across the state to make proper use of the library in the quest to acquire knowledge, adding that his joy is to see the facility being put to adequate use.
He stressed the need for youth to go all out to acquire knowledge, stressing that education remained the greatest legacy that could be bequeath on anyone.
The governor affirmed that his government would continue to invest in education as well as collaborate with people of like minds to reposition education in the state. He called on other well-meaning Nigerians to invest in education and youth development.
“I am aware that in this senatorial district, we have more than ten projects in various stages of completion that the senator is undertaking, but this library is especially very critical and dear to my heart because of the impact it would have on our youth. This library is not just a library, it’s a digital library, and I plead with our youths especially the students to make Maximum use of the facility”, he added.
Bamidele disclosed that the library was named after his former teacher and school principal, the late Bishop Gabriel Oloniyo, whom he met in 1976 when he was admitted to Egba-Owode Grammar School.
Bamidele, who handed over the library to the state government as part of his contributions to the growth and development of the state, affirmed the importance of a digital library to the present jet age and an instrument to assist indigent students who may not possess the wherewithal to procure needed books while in school.
He thanked Oyebanji for giving him the opportunity to contribute his quota to the development of the state in the various capacity that he could stressing the fact that the Governor had given all members of the National Assembly a list of his expectation from them and that they have all tried their best to achieve those demands.
“It is really my pleasure to handover this digital library built in honour of late Bishop Gboyega Oloniyo to the state. Thank God for the encouragement that this project is hitting the target set by his Excellency for the nine National Assembly members,” he said.
The Head of Service, Dr Olufolake Olomojobi commended the Senate Leader for the project, stressing that she was a product of public library both at her secondary and university levels.
The flag off was witnessed by Aribasoye; members of the state executive council; Secretary to the State Government, Dr Habibat Adubiaro, members of the traditional council and other stakeholders.
