Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, has said he would not get distracted by underhand political schemings ahead of the 2026 governorship race in the state, describing the idea of second term as the least of his worries for now.
The Governor also said work on the 1.2 kilometres flyover to be constructed between Okeyinmi and Ijigbo roundabouts in Ado Ekiti, would commence early in the year, to help decongest the business district and give the state capital Ekiti a facelift.
Oyebanji stated these on Saturday, at the grand finale of the 2024 Week of Prayer, organised by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), in conjunction with the Ekiti State Government, held at Jibowu Hall, Government House, in Ado Ekiti.
At the intercessional programme, prayers were offered for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the success of his economic policies and programmes as well as for security and progress for the country. The Biodun Oyebanji administration was also rededicated to God for guidance and leading.
Addressing the congregation at the event which was a follow up to the maiden edition held on January 14, 2023, Governor Oyebanji said news had been filtering in that some politicians had started holding nocturnal meetings ahead of the 2026 governorship election, saying he won’t allow this to derail his focus in the interest of Ekiti citizens.
“They said some people have started holding meetings, I am not bothered by this. For now, 2026 is the least of my worries. What I am really bothered about is leading Ekiti to prosperity, and allowing God to guide us.
“I have made a covenant that there won’t be tolerance for corruption, dishonesty, and disobedience to orders, so, I won’t allow second term ambition to distract me. Human beings can play politics, but God is the master politician. He knows how to take care of everything”.
In his testimony, Oyebanji relayed to the congregation that prayer and faith in God have made governance an easy task for him and not brilliance, exposure and any other factor.
“When I became the Governor, which I never believed in my wildest imagination, I was asked to state what I wanted to go and do. I said God told me go and feed my people. That was why the first year, I dedicated it to the welfare of my people. We were paying salary, pension, and gratuity .
“As we were doing all these, some people said what is going to be my legacy, they advised that I should go and do infrastructure. but I insisted that if I feed the people first, infrastructure will come. Because I was obeying God, money for infrastructure was being provided.
“ Let me tell you that work will commence in the coming weeks on the fly over we planned to construct in Ado Ekiti to ease traffic in the business district around Ejigbo. This is just one of many other projects that will be undertaken.
“In the last one year, God has done in Ekiti what only Him can do. People are asking where is he getting the money?
“Some said I didn’t have the right connections. But, God, in His infinite mercy, has sent me on a mission and when God says I should move, I do that and we have been able to meet the expectations of the people.
“God just thrust me forward knowing that I wasn’t the most brilliant , the most connected and I didn’t have anything called political structures .The only thing I will continue to do is to exalt God in this position. There wasn’t any time I got worried that I am the Governor because I know He sent me on this mission”.
Particularly, Oyebanji appealed to the politicians and political office holders to always exhibit sacrificial spirit, saying they should perceive leadership as service to God and humanity.
In his short Bible exhortation , the CAN Chairman in Ekiti, Reverend Emmanuel Aribasoye, charged Nigerians to always embrace justice and fair-play and run away from attitudes that can corrupt the system, for the nation to enjoy peace, unity and prosperity.
Quoting copiously from Luke 15: 20-22 and Hosea 6: 1, to espouse his spiritual views on the topic : “The Benefit of Returning to the Lord God”, Aribasoye warned that no nation without proper restitution with God can enjoy adequate prosperity.
“In 2024, whatever we call sin, let us run away from it. Don’t make sin attractive by trying to give it any colouration. For God to forget our sins and deliver us, let us have faith, embrace justice and have attitudinal change. With these, I know that God will heal our land, because Nigeria needs healing.
“Our desires is that we live in peace, unity and enjoy economic prosperity. When we run to God with open and clean hearts and strong faith, he will surely do them for us. The promise of God for us is that we prosper this year, but he is calling us to return to him and we must do that without delay”.
Delivering the second sermon at the event, the National Leader of Intercessor for Nigeria , Pastor Stephen Olumuyiwa, urged the Governor to work hard and redirect the state to the path of righteousness, honesty, integrity, unity, peace and prosperity in 2024, for Ekiti to savour more infrastructural facelift.
“Under Oyebanji, there should be no tolerance for corruption, dishonesty, disorder and injustice. There shouldn’t be disobedience to order. This country has good laws, but the problem is implementation. We don’t implement laws, even in the house of God. But this shouldn’t happen in Ekiti, because the Governor has entered into covenant to lead with the fear of God”.
Present at the event were Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Chief (Mrs) Monisade Afuye, Speaker, Ekiti State House of Assembly, Rt Hon. Adeoye Aribasoye, Head of Service, Engr. Sunday Akomolafe, Commissioners, Special Advisers, Chairman, Council of Ekiti State Traditional Rulers, Oba Ilori Faboro, royal fathers, priests, civil servants, among others.