Ekiti Set to Make History with Oyebanji’s Re-election, Says Segun Oni

…Oyebanji rallies support for Tinubu in Ido/Osi, Moba, Ilejemeje LGAs

A former Governor of Ekiti State, Engr Segun Oni has said that Ekiti people are set to make history with the re-election of Governor Biodun Oyebanji for a second term in the June 20 governorship election.

Oni who spoke at the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship campaign in Ido/Osi Local Government area on Tuesday, said Governor Oyebanji will emerge as the first Ekiti State Governor to be re-elected back-to-back, judging by the massive support he enjoys from the Ekiti voters, the youth, the elderly, the elite and people in the grassroots.

The former Governor, who together with his wife, Mrs Olukemi Oni, joined Governor Oyebanji on the campaign tour of Ilejemeje, Mob and Ido.Osi Local Government areas of the state, said it was symbolic for all former governors in the state to support an incumbent Governor seeking a re-election, adding that the support for Oyebanji should be total for the targeted 500,000 votes to be met.

Oni spoke just as the Governor Oyebanji expressed confidence that the achievements recorded by his administration in three and a half years would pave the way for him and his party to secure a second term in office.

The Governor said he and his party are working to get an unprecedented poll tally of 500,000 votes in the June 20 governorship election as a dress rehearsal for a massive presidential election result in favour of President Bola Tinubu in the state.

Aside securing minimum 500,000 votes, Governor Oyebanji said he and his party are also targeting a clean sweep of available votes in all the 177 wards, a feat that has not been achieved in the past governorship polls.

At Iye Ekiti, Otun-Ekiti and Ido Ekiti in Ilejemeje, Moba and Ido/Osi Local Government areas respectively, Governor Oyebanji said the electorate in Ekiti State have an opportunity to reward a performing governor with a back-to-back victory for the first time for the good works in all the key sectors to continue for the benefit of the people.

The Governor urged his supporters and members of his party to be peaceful, orderly and not to be provoked into any fight or violence on election day to make the victory sweeter and positively memorable.

Oyebanji took a swipe at individuals he referred to as “detractors on social media who don’t know their wards” promising to teach them some lessons with massive victory at the governorship election and silence them permanently.

He said: “On June 20, we have an opportunity once and for all to do what has not been done in our state before. Since the creation of this state 29 years ago, no governor has done it back-to-back but we are going to do it with your support and based on what we have done so far.

“In the last three years and seven months, we have served you diligently and there are many good things to show for our stewardship. Since we came in, civil servants have not gone on strike, teachers have not gone on strike, doctors have not gone on strike, local government staff have not gone on sttike”

He told the enthusiastic crowd that his administration has touched all communities hrough life-changing policies, projects, and empowerment programmes.

The Governor urged the people to turn out en masse and vote APC to victory in both Ekiti and Osun States “to make a statement that President Tinubu is popular and loved in his home base ahead of the presidential poll scheduled for January.

“After the Ekiti election, the next is Osun is the general election in which the President will stand for election. We must use the two elections (in Ekiti and Osun) to make a statement that President Tinubu is popular in his home base. I have told our traditional rulers to support us and support the President.

“By God’s grace,we are winning 177 wards because 16-0 is no longer a record because former Governor Ayodele Fayose had done it before, but our target now is victory in all the 177 wards,” Oyebanji said.

At the rally in Ido Ekiti, key Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Chairman in Usi Ward, Mr Dada Kolawole defected to the APC and were admitted into the fold.

Governor Oyebanji who said former Governor Segun Oni’s campaign for him at ido/Osi had a great significant for his re-election bid, adding that with the support of the former Governor he is sure of 100 percent votes from the local government. “Our leader, His Excellency Engr Segun Oni has spoken. I don’t have to campaign in ido/Osi again, so, I concur with and adopted all the submissions he has made”,

Speaking further, Governor Oyebanji reiterated that the June 20 poll in Ekiti “has implications for the 2027 presidential election” saying “everyone of us must go out and vote for APC because we are aiming at 177-0 and that means that we must win in all 177 wards with no less than 500,000 votes. And then in January 2027, we shall increase the figure for our president, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Stakeholders in Ido/Osi Local Government led by the APC National Ex Officio officer, Hon Bunmi Oriniowo hailed the Governor for the reconstruction of Ado-Ifaki Highway, rehabilitation and equipment of the General Hospital in Ifaki Ekiti, construction of Ido-Ipere Road, community health centres and rehabilitation of public schools.

The State APC Chairman, Barrister Sola Elesin, charged the electorate to keep the party in power to enjoy more benefits in another four years under Oyebanji. He urged them to be on a lookout for the broom logo on the ballot paper assuring that the Governor would not disappoint if re-elected on June 20.

The APC boss said Oyebanji’s election in 2022 has positively rubbed off on the development of the state making case for the governor’s re-election. He charged eligible voters to come out massively and keep the APC in power.

The Governor met with traditional rulers in all the three local government areas visited and received royal blessings from them before proceeding to the campaign rallies. The monarchs praised the Governor for what he has done for their communities.

The Governor was accompanied by his Deputy, Chief (Mrs) Monisade Afuye; former Governor, Chief Segun Oni; the Speaker, Ekiti State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adeoye Aribasoye; Director General of the Biodun Oyebanji Campaign Council, Senator Cyril Fasuyi; Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Habibat Adubiaro; Deputy Director General (Ekiti North), Chief Kemisola Olaleye; Secretary of the Campaign Council/Chief of Staff to the Governor, Mr Oyeniyi Adebayo, among others.