Former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose has endorsed Governor Biodun Oyebanji for a second term, describing him as a performer and builder of a modern Ekiti who deserves to remain in office through 2030.
Fayose made the statement on Wednesday in Ado-Ekiti during the final leg of Oyebanji’s campaign tour of local government areas, speaking on behalf of former governors of the state. He said all ex-governors were backing Oyebanji’s re-election ahead of the June 20 poll.
“I want to salute our governor, the performer, the builder and the man of the moment who has brought all of us together,” Fayose told a crowd of All Progressives Congress (APC) supporters at the Ekiti Parapo Pavilion.
“I am not a member of APC, you all know my party. But what is good has no other name. I want Oyebanji popularly known as BAO to remain in office till 2030. He is a good leader,” he said.
Former Special Adviser on Political Matters to the President, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, said the party should target at least 500,000 votes to secure Oyebanji’s re-election. He described the governor as accessible, friendly and generous to the people.
“In this election, the minimum we can give him is 500,000 votes. Let us thank him for the kind of change he has brought to Ekiti politics,” Ojudu said.
“Governor Oyebanji is not a fake, he is an original Ekiti man, a solid Ekiti man and we will continue to stand by him.”
Senate Leader and Chairman of the Campaign Council, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, said Oyebanji had demonstrated strong performance, character, unity and human capital development. He said the campaign was targeting 120,000 votes from Ado-Ekiti alone, up from 23,000 in 2022.
“We don’t have the kind of fierce opposition we had in 2022. Engr Segun Oni who contested against us then is now campaigning for BAO,” Bamidele said.
Governor Oyebanji said his administration had delivered projects including an airport, ring road, flyover, hospital and several roads. He said the campaign had visited 15 local governments without violence, which he described as a new order in Ekiti politics.
“Everybody in Ado Ekiti has seen what we have done. You have seen the airport we completed, the road we built, the ring road we have constructed, you can see the flyover and the hospital we have built,” Oyebanji said. He urged supporters to begin door-to-door mobilization ahead of June 19.
APC State Chairman Hon. Sola Elesin said Ado Local Government has 187,000 registered voters across 13 wards and expressed confidence the party could secure 180,000 votes.
Other attendees included First Lady Dr Olayemi Oyebanji, Deputy Governor Mrs Monisade Afuye, Speaker Dr Adeoye Aribasoye, Senator Ayo Arise, Senator Bode Ola and Prof Modupe Adelabu.
