An outspoken member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Bamisile in this special interview, predicted that the 2026 re-election bid of Governor Biodun Oyebanji was already secured and guaranteed. He relishes how the governor changes the face of governance and politics. Excerpts!
As a high profile member of the APC and statesman in Ekiti State, how do you rate Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s second year in office?
Well, to be sincere, I am not going to rate him as a party man, but as an Ekiti man and politician, who has been following the trajectory of political events in the state since 1999. Looking at past records and history, I can boldly say that Governor Oyebanji has performed exceedingly well in just two years. He has been able to prove to Ekiti people that our local politicians have capacities to turn things around. He has been able to prove that there is an edge in the homeboy advantage. Since 1999, we have been having governors who came from outside the state to govern us. The quartet of Chief Niyi Adebayo, Dr. Ayodele Fayose, Engr Segun Oni and Dr. Kayode Fayemi were indigenes, but they are technocrats who plied their trades outside the shores of Ekiti before being given the opportunities to lead. In actual fact, they all did their best trying to lay solid foundation for the future of our state. It got to a stage that the people started agitating for a homeboy to lead us, I mean, someone who schooled here and who was brought up here in Ekiti, who understands the nuances of the people and the political dynamics. This I think brought about Biodun Oyebanji. I was one of those who contested against him at the primary. We also had the likes of Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, Hon Bamidele Faparusi and others. But the way he handled the post primary election crisis by visiting all of us and sought our partnership dazzled and convinced us that he might end up being a special leader and he has been displaying this to all the citizens of our dear state across party lines. In two years, the governor has been able to unite us firmly as Ekiti people. This is the first time that the spirit of homogeneity vividly reflects amongst us as Ekiti people. He has truly promoted that homogeneity and this reflected in his frictionless fraternities with opposition leaders; like former Governors Segun Oni and Ayodele Fayose, in contrast to the past trends of politics of hatred and venom. The fact that he has been able to unite us and restored peace unlike a time when Ekiti was known for one day, one trouble shows that Governor Oyebanji has not disappointed us with his mid term scorecard.
You once predicted that Governor Oyebanji’s reelection has become a done deal. What prompted such prediction?
Mark me today, Governor Oyebanji’s reelection is having a good prognosis. In fact, he would be the first governor to get reelection without much opposition, because all the current APC elected and appointed officials won’t challenge him on the strength of his superlative performance, character and humility. I am not saying that he is a saint, but he has done creditably well. He has shown that he is looking for the good of Ekiti. Those in the opposition should forget about 2026, it is already a done deal for him. Mark me, none of us elected and appointed officials in APC will contest against him in the primary, except strangers who want to merely test the waters. This is the first time Ekiti will have stability in government with Governor Oyebanji taking the baton of leadership from Dr Kayode Fayemi. It was stability in Lagos that made Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu President of our dear nation. Lagos state from Governors Babatunde Fashola, Akunwumi Ambode and the incumbent Babajide Sanwoolu has enjoyed good governance. That singular thing made him President. Left to former President Muhammadu Buhari, he won’t have got it . They wanted former Senate President, Senator Ahmad Lawan.
So, our people in Ekiti must see the good in continuity. Peace and unity are sinequanon to development and Governor Oyebanji has been promoting that. Let us all support him. He can’t do everything, but to the best of my knowledge, he has done well and deserves our support.
But the opposition said he has failed in terms of delivery of concrete evidence of democracy dividends like infrastructures and human capital development.
This to me was a mere noise coming from the opposition figures. Just part of the last kicks of dying horse. Go to every corner in Ekiti, you will see his imprints boldly written everywhere. Look at the masterpiece N1.2kms flyover in Ado Ekiti. The project is almost 40% completed. The Omisanjana-campground-Ajebamdele road has been commissioned. There are tremendous progress on the completion of Ado-Iworoko-Ifaki road. The Ado-Ilawe-Erinjiyan road had been reasphalted likewise Ikogosi-Ogotun road. Remarkable progress have been made on Ikere-Ilawe road, Ikere-Igbara Odo road, Isinbode-Ara-Ikole road, Ikere-Ise-Emure road and Itapa-Omu-Ijelu road. These roads were not just awarded for the sake of it, they were strategically awarded because of their significance to the development of the local economy. They are roads that lead to the agricultural zone, where the chunk of the GDP is derived. The Ekiti State of the art Arts, Culture and Creative Centre that will be the best in the Southwest is nearing completion. The flagship of them all: The Ekiti State Ring Road Phase 1 that traverses towns like Iworoko, Are, Araromi Obo, Afao, Igbemo and terminates at the International Agro Allied Cargo Airport will be completed soon. All these are projects conceived by Governor Oyebanji besides those he inherited from his predecessors. He has done marvelously well in this regard, except one is blinded by politics.
Ekiti has one of the highest graduate unemployment in Nigeria. What has the current administration in Ekiti done to arrest the situation?
This is a pathetic situation of our country and one reality we must be aware of and learn how to address fast. I can’t be boasting here that this menace of unemployment among our youths had been tackled outrightly. But looking at all parameters, Governor Biodun Oyebanji has tried in terms of Human Capital Development. As at the last count, this current administration had employed over 4,000 youths into strategic positions in the civil service, State Universal Basic Education Board and the Teaching Service Commission. Knowing full well that this number may not be enough to alleviate the sufferings of our youths, the governor built a world class MSMEs Clinic that was commissioned by Vice President Kashim Shettima. This clinic houses the Ekiti Garment Hub and the popular Adire Ekiti Hub that have trained thousands of people in garment making and the production of the Adire fabric. The hubs are not just putting foods on the tables of our citizens, they are also generating money into the coffers of our dear state. Knowing that farming has become a cash cow, Governor Oyebanji established agriculture zone along Ipao-Oke Ako zone and provided military post. Large expanse of lands were prepared along that axis with youths making huge exploits in partnership with Cavista Holdings Limited. The target is to make Ekiti assume food security status and this will start reflecting soon. A lot more are still in the pipeline that will be rolled out soon to kickstart the third year in office.
Prior to the 2022 election, you were one of those who agitated for the return of governorship ticket to Ekiti South. Have you abandoned this advocacy because you are from that district?
Well, on the deafening demands for governorship by the people of my senatorial district in Ekiti South, such advocacy is to ensure that we entrench the principles of equity, justice and fairplay in the system, not for anything. But we have realised that this won’t be realised by coercion or subversion of a good system that Governor Oyebanji represents. I am confident that the zone will get it at God’s appointed time. Some of us who understand the political matrixes very well from that zone have decided to allow the governor to have a second turn, after which we believe good reasoning will prevail within our party and someone will be picked from the South to govern our state. We have not abandoned the agitation, but we decided to suspend it to honour Governor Biodun Oyebanji who has done well. Even some of the road infrastructures and others like the Smart School in Ijan Ekiti were located in that axis, he has not abandoned us. He is someone we can trust and we are solidly behind him. Across all the 16 local government, the chant of BAO was resonating, which buttressed how inclusive the current government was to civil servants through prompt payment of salary and deductions, pensioners through regular payment of pension and gratuity, and traders, commercial motorcyclists, farmers, youth and others through major empowerment and financial support .Performance and acceptability remain the Hallmark of leadership. From infrastructure to youth development, agriculture, governance and security, Governor Oyebanji has changed the face of politics within 24 months. This is the kind of inclusivity and unity of purpose we must promote by returning the governor to his seat in 2026 to continue with his good works.
Recently, you lamented incessant kidnapping of your constituents by criminals and you sought Military Intervention. Haven’t you indicted the government with this comment?
Absolutely no. I only called for military intervention to stem the tide of incessant kidnapping of my constituents along the border post of Emure-Eporo-Emure- Ile axis of Ekiti State, because such traumatizing transborder kidnapping can only be tamed through a stationary military post along that section of the State. The federal government is in charge of security, but the state governors can coordinate. The escalating abduction began with the kidnapping of eight pupils, teachers and driver of a Nursery and Primary school along that axis in 2023, and then snowballed into a regular occurrence now constituting a monster to my people. Before now, Ipao-Oke Ako-Irele axis of Ekiti State was the worst hit by activities of these terror gangs, but Governor Oyebanji in partnership with the federal government deployed military to that zone and today, residents can now sleep with their two eyes closed. But that of Emure Ekiti axis is gradually becoming a monster that must be confronted headon. We are also using our contacts here in Abuja to call the attentions of the concerned federal government agencies to these senseless and terror attacks on my people. We all know that Ise-Emure-Gbonyin axis remains the best cocoa belt in Ekiti State. And once the farmers can no longer access their farms, this could affect the residents of this area in terms of income generation. Something urgent must be done to ensure this abduction doesn’t assume this dangerous dimension. I appeal to the communities in the area to rally their local hunters to work with the conventional security operatives to arrest those turning the area into flashpoint and hotspot for kidnappers. I urge the residents to give veracious information to the security formations about the fifth columnists among the locals, who may be working in cahoots with these criminal elements to terrorize the populace .
Going into the third year, what agenda can you set for the governor?
The best agenda is that of more development. Like we use to say, the reward for good work is more works. He must become more dedicated and focused on the job. The 2025 is the leeway to the election year, we have to work harder to deliver on our legacy projects like the completion of the airport and make sure it starts full operation, completion of the Ado Ekiti flyover and the Ring Road Phase one and other road projects. I know that the governor will consolidate and deliver more, so that we can have better rating than we are getting now to be able to put the opposition permanently at bay. This is the best agenda that can help our people , the government and our party, APC in 2026.
In 2025, some aspirants will like to declare their intentions. What is your take on this?
This is a democracy, we are all entitled to declare our ambitions and pursue them on the platform of any political party of our choices. But we must do it within the ambit of the law. Either in APC or PDP or any other party, nobody must come with intention to destroy Ekiti or tamper with the peace that we are enjoying currently. God and the people are the ultimate deciders of our fate in politics, so nobody should come with a do or die spirit. Let us play the game according to the rules and have that believe that only God can enthrone and dethrone a king. That is my message to all intending aspirants. We should look at the larger picture, which is Ekiti State and our people.