Ekiti Guber 2026: BAOmania Hits Abuja -

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By Wole Olujobi

…Blow-by-Blow Account Of Oyebanji’s Submission Of Nomination Form To Contest Poll

… As Gov Praises Tinubu, Assures Ekiti Support For President’s Second Term

Loved at home and admired in the “Diaspora”, the widespread phenomenon and immense popularity of Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji (BAO) of Ekiti State, which began when he sought the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to contest the governorship election in 2022, peaked in Abuja Wednesday, as supporters at home and Ekiti indigenes up North converged on Abuja to lend their support for his endorsement to run for second term.

Oyebanji used the occasion of the submission of his nomination form to reel out President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s various supports for Ekiti State to record the level of achievements so far by his administration.

It was all at the National Secretariat of the APC in Abuja, where Oyebanji had gone to submit his governorship nomination paper endorsed by critical stakeholders across the state to contest for second term in the scheduled June 20, 2026 governorship election.

Since assumption of office in 2022, Oyebanji has become a brand, as BAO assumes a signature name and theme symbolising strength, performance, development and hope for Ekiti people, who believe that with BAO in sight, most of their problems are solved.

The sentiment has made BAO a household name not just in politics but also in the subconscious of the people as a brand that draws thousands of supporters and admirers.

In branded shirts, caps, wrist bands and necklaces, BAO insignia screams across the ages, creed and partisan lines, making him a cynosure of all eyes and song on the lips of the people across the state.

This has made BAO a Ekiti global citizen, so much so that BAO is no longer an Ikogosi homeboy but a cultural wave that has reached mainstream supporters across party lines, including admirers abroad, who point to Oyebanji’s records in maintaining the peace in the hitherto crisis-prone and politically-charged state, and in keeping pace with his development efforts to change the face of the state.

And so Ekiti people home and in the Diaspora today September 10, 2026, converged on Abuja in their hundreds in their show of support to see Oyebanji continue with his visionary leadership to move Ekiti State from the backwaters of socio-political metric to the mainstream of development that he began three years ago.

In colourful attires, supporters stormed Abuja in pomp and drums in solidarity with the Ekiti man of the moment that has made performance his watchword in the development history of Ekiti State.

Abuja event is a statement of fact and demonstration of the will and conviction that Oyebanji has become an article of faith that Ekiti people embrace in their journey through the desert of lack to the oasis of development.

As the 2026 governorship election beckons, on the front burner is the consolidation of development strategies initiated three years ago for the socio-economic growth of Ekiti people.

The Chairman of BAO Endorsement Committee, Surveyor Abiodun Aluko, explained that party leaders met to assess the performance of the governor and concluded to support him for second term. He added that their decision was premised on performance, humility and competence in uniting the leadership cadres of the state irrespective of party affiliations.
He added that his alma mater’s unflinching support for second term was strong, as they contributed money for the nomination form to run for second term, adding that the various segments of Ekiti State joined in the campaign for second term. He said the unanimity among various groups informed the decision to rally behind Oyebanji for second term.

Leader of the EKSU Alumni Assiciation said members were impressed by Oyebanji’s performance in office, saying that he recorded many firsts in Ekiti development history, including being the first leader to unite all Ekiti leaders, irrespective of party affiliations, to work for the development of the state.

State NLC Chairman. Kolapo Olusola, who led a huge crowd of state workers, said he led members to Abuja to support because “God manufactured Oyebanji for Ekiti workers”.

He listed regular payment of salary, pensions, gratuity and other benefits to workers to make life comfortable for workers as the best workers had ever experienced, explaining also that health service system had been revamped to make life comfortable for workers and Ekiti people in general.

Owolewa Taiwo, leader of students group in the state, in company of a large crowds of students, praised the governor for increasing bursary, scholarship, providing hostel accommodation, campus roads rehabilitation, appointment of former student leaders to his government.
He said Oyebanji was the kind they want to continue adding value to students’ lives.
He added that students were united behind Oyebanji because of his development policies that had made life conformable for Ekiti people, including his students-friendly policies to make the youth relevant in the scheme of things.

Bisi Kolawole, who said he was speaking on behalf of Fayose and other stakeholders outside APC, explained that he was the leader of political stakeholders who are not members of APC, but the lovers of peace and development in the state. He assured National party leaders that all opposition leaders in Ekiti were united behind Oyebanji, adding that with the current support base for the governor, he is as good as already won the election.

BAO anchor groups that boast of more than 300 groups each having no fewer than 500, members also spoke at the occasion.
Their Chairman, Dolamu Adeniyi, said the groups loved the governor because of he had done well. He urged Ekiti people to continue to lend support for the governor for his hard work and benevolent spirit.

Chief Jide Awe, who spoke on behalf of BAO Volunteers, said members saw leadership qualities in Oyebanji before supporting him. He said members were proud of his performance, adding that the group would give him support again to enable him do more for the benefit of Ekiti people.

Mrs Ronke Okunsanya, who praised Oyebanji for giving due recognition to women, said another term for Oyebanji is a plus for women to be more represented in government.
She said Ekiti women were united for Oyebanji to compensate for his mother’s sacrifices for the party while alive, assuring that Ekiti women would unite to ensure victory for Oyebanji at polls.

Oyetunde Ojo, who spoke on behalf of the Federal Government appointees, thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for giving recognition to the state in appointments.
He recalled that Oyebanji was the secretary of Ekiti State Creation Committee that devoted his life to the service of Ekiti people and he had done well to the satisfaction of Ekiti people.
He counselled other aspirants to shelve their ambitions. He recalled that Oyebanji led the efforts for overwhelming support for Tinubu in his first term election, stressing that Oyebanji is needed again to repeat the feat in Tinubu’s second term election.

Ekiti State Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) led by its Chairman, Olusegun Ojo, eulogised Oyebanji for credible performance, citing great achievements in the local government system to make life comfortable for the people at the grassroots.

Senator Olu Adetumbi, who spoke on behalf of former members of the National Assembly, noted that Oyebanji’s loyal spirit is what is working for him in Ekiti politics. He praised Otunba Niyi Adebayo for mentoring Oyebanji to become a responsible citizen and astute administrator.

House of Assembly Speaker Adeoye Aribasoye spoke on behalf of Ekiti State House of Assembly members, saying that as representatives of Ekiti people, their position represented the voices of Ekiti people.
He explained that on the day the governor presented his state of the state address on October 16, 2024, members were united in endorsing him, adding that another motion was passed during the street sitting among Ekiti stakeholders to endorse the governor.

He counselled other aspirants to shelve their ambitions, explaining that anyone contesting against Oyebanji is contesting against Ekiti people.

He said Oyebanji’s sterling performance reinforced the desire of Ekiti people to urge the governor to contest for second term.
Mr Alaba Abejide, who delivered Ekiti Elders Forum’s message to the national leadership of the party, told APC national officers to rein in those who only come around to contest election but run away from the state after elections.

He said for Oyebanji, the elders in Ekiti had spoken, and the heavens had accepted the prayers, adding: “Oyebanji is a done deal among Ekiti people”.

Otunba Niyi Adebayo spoke on the genesis of his relationship with Oyebanji, explaining that the governor was pivotal to his election victory in 1999.
He said after losing the 2003 second term election in which he was rigged out, Oyebanji never deserted him. He explained that during the 2007 governorship election in which he was no long interested, it was Oyebanji who introduced Dr Kayode Fayemi to him to contest the election.

He said he had the mandate of all the former governors to declare support for Oyebanji, even as he said that all of them were set to work for Oyebanji’s success.

The Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, who spoke on behalf of the National Assembly members, said they were at the event to tell the National Executive Council (NEC) of the party that at the primary, all National Assembly members from Ekiti State will be solidly behind Oyebanji.

He told the NEC that all members of state executive of the party, local government party exco and local governments’ chairmen and all strata of the party are for BAO, adding that the opposition had also endorsed Oyebanjo as expressed by Kolawole who delivered the message of the opposition parties in the state.

He said former governors and deputy governors of the state are all working for Oyebanji, explaining that Ekiti political establishment is united behind Oyebanji for victory in the 2026 election.

He urged the national body of APC to organise a transparent primary to pick the governorship candidate.

Isaac Kekemeke, who is the Deputy National Chairman (South West) of APC, observed that the NEC had never witnessed the kind of the endorsement support being given to Oyebanji, declaring to the stakeholders at the event: “We have seen you, we have heard you.”
He urged Oyebanji’s supporters to replicate the huge support at the event for the governor in Ekiti State ahead of the primary.

Deputy National Chairman (South) Chief Emma Eneukwu, expressed appreciation to Ekiti people for endorsing Tinubu. He said the national secretariat event was an affirmation of the earlier endorsement in Ekiti State.
He promised that the national secretariat will conduct a transparent primary to return a popular candidate.

Noting that Oyebanji had learnt the ropes by serving two former governors, which he said, had prepared Oyebanji for the leadership roles in governance, he said Oyebanji had demonstrated capacity for leadership for effective delivery of service to Ekiti people.
He assured that NEC will conduct credible primary.
He said the NEC had acknowledged the request of Ekiti people, assuring that the party would support Ekiti people to have efficient and effective governor.

Ogunlusi Ajayi, an Ekiti State indigene based in Kaduna, said the support for Oyebanji among Ekiti people in the North is not unexpected. He explained: “We always feel happy when we hear about the records of performance by Governor Oyebanji unlike before when negative stories were the norm from Ekiti State.

“We also heard about his omoluabi conduct and adapting himself to the community spirit among Ekiti people because he always feels like Ekiti people and reason with Ekiti people in their preferences in planning his development policies.

“Some of us have gone home down south to confirm all these stories firsthand and this is why you see our people here to express solidarity with the governor.

“We, all of us you see here, are here to assure him of our support and let the whole world know that we have found a man who feels our pains and is ready to sit down with our people to plan and execute their development agenda.
“What Ekiti people are witnessing today is a lesson for the future to always elect people that live with them, school with them, work with them, feel and share their pains and have the capacity to tackle the challenges. We see all these in Governor Oyebanji.
“We are earnestly waiting for APC leadership to clear Governor Oyebanji for the election and we are prepared to come down home to campaign and vote for him. That is why we are mobilising to register as voters in Ekiti to enable us vote next year in the governorship election.”

Governor Oyebanji in his response thanked all the stakeholders present for their support. He thanked President Tinubu for his support for Ekiti State, noting that the support of the president accounted for all the successes recorded by his administration. He said the massive attendance by Ekiti people in Abuja for the event was a demonstration of support the party enjoyed in the state.

He added that the inability to achieve success by the party in succession elections was responsible for the problems of growth in Ekiti State, noting that the party must support the candidate that had demonstrated energy and commitment to help the party grow.
He said Tinubu had been very supportive in the development efforts of the state, assuring that Ekiti people will support the President in the next election.

Stressing that he did not know of any state that all its former governors are supporting Tinubu like Ekiti State, he singled out Senator Opeyemi Bamidele for praise, explaining that Senator Bamidele sacrificed his personal ambition to contest election in order to support him.

At the event attended by APC National officers were National Secretary, Ajibola Basiru; former Governor Adeniyi Adebayo, Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele; APC State Acting Chairman, Sola Elesin; and his Exco members, former APC State Chairman, Jide Awe; Samuel Adewumi Abejide, former Deputy Governors Abiodun Aluko and Paul Alabi, Chief (Mrs) Ronke Okunsanya, former Deputy Governor, Prof Modupe Adelabu; Senator Abiodun Olujimi, all members of Ekiti State House of Assembly led by Speaker Adeoye Aribasoye, Dr Femi Thomas, Biodun Borisade, Kola Alabi, Muyiwa Olumilua, Kayode Babade, Kehinde Bolics, Febisola Adewale, Wole Olujobi, Suyi Aladesanmi, Segun Onaade, Olawole Adedipe, Cecilia Dada, Dele Oloje, Congressman Bimbo Daramola, former PDP governorship candidate, Bisi Kolawole; former Attorney General, Wale Fapohunda; former Chief Judge, Justice Ayodeji Daramola; Rt Hon Tope Ademiluyi, Hon Biodun Omoleye, Hon Akinlayo Kolawole, Bunmi Oriniowo, Rt Hon Dapo Karounwi, Folorunso Olabode, Rt Hon Taiwo Olatunbosun, Chief of Staff, Niyi Adebayo; SSG, Prof Abibat Adubiaro; Senator Cyril Fasuyi, Senator Ayo Arise, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, Hon Femi Bamisile, Hon Niyi Ojuawo, Hon Sola Fatoba, Hon Akin Rotimi, Hon Ibrahim Olanrewaju, Hon Oyetunde Ojo, Senator Tony Adeniyi, Mrs Tola Ojudu, Ayodeji Adarabierin, Oluwole Ariyo, Femi Awe, Rotimi Ajidara, Sola Olofin and Makinde Araoye.

Others are Lekan Oyebanji, Richard Apolola, Dele Owoju, Titi Toba-Ojo, Wale Ojo-Lanre, Apase Adeniyi, Kemi Olaleye, Alaba Omonusi, Tosin Aluko, Yemisi Ayokunle, Olasunbo Abimbola Derby, Kayode Fasae and Femi Ajayi.

Others are party leaders, members of EKSU Alumni Association, ALGON, all council chairmen, state chairmen and members of NLC, NULGE, NUT and other professional groups, leaders of market women associations, transport unions and artisan groups.

*Olujobi reporting from Abuja