Former Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has declared that the achievements of incumbent Governor Biodun Oyebanji over the past three years have vindicated the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s decision to present him as its consensus candidate for the 2026 governorship election.
Speaking on Saturday at the inauguration of the newly constructed Itapa-Ijelu-Omu Road in Ijelu-Ekiti, Fayemi praised Oyebanji’s administration for prioritising infrastructure development, particularly in the area of road construction and rehabilitation. According to him, these efforts have significantly enhanced connectivity, boosted local commerce, and eased transportation challenges across the state.
“I want to thank our governor for not disappointing us and for holding firm to his God and the truth in delivering the task of governing Ekiti and leaving it better than the way we left it. We have every reason to be proud of him. We have no reason to abandon him,” Fayemi said.
“The success of Oyebanji’s administration is a validation of his belief in purposeful leadership. The governor’s record of performance in three years has justified the decision of the APC and the good people of Ekiti to present Oyebanji as the consensus candidate for the 2026 governorship election.”
The APC recently confirmed Biodun Oyebanji as its consensus candidate for the upcoming election, following the voluntary withdrawal of one of the two cleared aspirants, Mrs Atinuke Omolayo, who endorsed the incumbent governor. This development was announced in a statement issued by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, which also confirmed the switch from a direct primary to a consensus mode for the state primary election.
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Fayemi, who led the state from 2010–2014 and again from 2018–2022, lauded Oyebanji for continuing the legacy of developmental governance and institutional continuity in the state. He described Oyebanji as his “greatest achievement”, noting that the current governor had improved on the foundation laid by past administrations.
“Absolutely, he is my greatest achievement because I have my own imperfections, but those imperfections he has managed to either correct or reduce,” Fayemi added. “God has been kind to us in Ekiti by giving us a governor who can focus on the transformation agenda for the people of Ekiti, and who is not given to unnecessary politicking at the expense of the important issue of development.”
Highlighting the economic significance of recent infrastructure projects, Fayemi stated that the new roads under Oyebanji’s leadership were vital to the state’s growth, linking agricultural zones, business communities and tourism corridors with major urban centres.
In his remarks, Governor Oyebanji expressed gratitude to his predecessor for laying the groundwork on which the current administration had continued to build. He described the newly completed road as a symbol of what governance continuity can achieve for a state.
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“I bless God for today, and I am so glad that we are able to finally complete this road. What is happening today speaks to what a people and a state will benefit if there is continuity in government,” Oyebanji said.
He further commended Fayemi for breaking the long-standing jinx of discontinuity in Ekiti politics and confirmed that all road projects initiated during Fayemi’s tenure but left unfinished had now been completed by his administration.
Oyebanji, who assumed office in October 2022, is widely regarded as having consolidated on his predecessors’ work while introducing reforms and projects tailored toward economic development and good governance. His candidacy for a second term is expected to enjoy broad support within the APC and across the state.
