Governor Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti State has submitted his nomination form for the 2026 governorship election.
The event at the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Secretariat in Abuja yesterday saw an unusually large delegation from Ekiti, signalling a unified front behind the governor’s re-election bid.
Accompanied by Senate Leader Senator Opeyemi Bamidele and the first civilian governor of the state, Niyi Adebayo, Oyebanji arrived at the APC secretariat at 2:15 p.m.
He first met with the party’s National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, before proceeding with the submission of his form.
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The list of attendees at the event underscored the wide-ranging support for Oyebanji.
It included four former Deputy Governors, Paul Alabi, Abiodun Aluko, Abiodun Olujimi, and Modupe Adelabu—as well as all nine current members of the National Assembly from Ekiti.
Notably, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2022 governorship election, Bisi Kolawole, was also present, leading members of the political family of former governor Ayodele Fayose to show solidarity with Oyebanji.
Other groups represented included all members of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, led by Speaker Rt. Hon. Adeoye Aribatise; all 16 local government and 22 Local Council Development Area (LCDA) chairmen; former National Assembly members; presidential appointees from the state; organised labour leaders; and representatives from student and youth bodies, women’s groups, the APC Elders Forum, and the Alumni Association of Ekiti State University.
In his address to the gathering, which included senior APC officials, Oyebanji called on the party’s national leadership to support the will of the Ekiti people to bring an end to the state’s historical trend of single-term governorships.
“Since the creation of Ekiti State, no governor has done two terms at a stretch, and Ekiti people have come here to remove this reproach,” Oyebanji stated.
He described the inability to secure a second term as a “stain and a jinx” that must be broken to ensure more rapid development and stability.
He expressed confidence that he has a “divine mandate” to break this jinx, citing the massive cross-party support he has received as proof.
Adebayo, speaking on behalf of all former governors, described Oyebanji as a trustworthy and reliable protégé who has consistently contributed to the state’s growth.
Bamidele echoed this sentiment, assuring the party leadership that Oyebanji’s candidacy enjoys the support of major political blocs, including the structures of former governors Fayose and Olusegun Oni, and Olujimi.
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In response, the APC Deputy National Chairman (South), Emma Eneukwu, pledged that the party would conduct a free, fair, and transparent primary election on October 27, promising to elect a candidate who is widely accepted by the people.
He commended Oyebanji’s leadership style, which he said has made the APC an attractive brand in Ekiti.
