Ekiti Deputy Gov Rallies Kinsmen for Oyebanji
….commends Adebayo, Fayemi, Bamidele’s support for gov
….Ekiti Assembly to lead Oyebanji’s reelection
The Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Chief (Mrs) Monisade Afuye, has appealed to the leadership of the All Progressives Congress in Ikere Local Government to unite solidly behind Governor Biodun Oyebanji to promote development and earn the council more recognition in politics and governance.
Mrs Afuye praised the party leaders and the entire Ikere citizens for accepting governor Oyebanji as their leader, urging that this should continue to attract more democratic dividends to Ikere council, in terms of infrastructures and political appointments.
Mrs Afuye spoke in Ado Ekiti, on Sunday, during the end of the year get -together she organised for the All Progressives Congress elders and leaders from Ikere Ekiti, Ikere Local Government Area of Ekiti State.
In her message, the Deputy Governor, in a statement by her Special Assistant on Media, Victor Ogunje, urged them to begin aggressive mobilisation of members to further bolster the acceptability of Governor Biodun Oyebanji at the grassroots.
Mrs Afuye saluted former Governors Niyi Adebayo and Kayode Fayemi, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele and other federal lawmakers, for their solid backings for Governor Oyebanji, saying this has helped in smoothening governance and politics in the state.
She urged the people of the council to troop out en masse and register during the forthcoming continuous voter registration exercise to be declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) prelude to the 2026 governorship poll to shore up the Ikere township voting strength.
On the parley, which was at her behest, Mrs Afuye posited that the interaction was conceptualised to appreciate the party leaders, especially the political appointees and to brainstorm on how to enhance the fortunes of the party in the council.
“I want to thank Ikere Ekiti citizens for standing by Governor Oyebanji. This is the first time Ikere Ekiti will unite behind a government. Though we have some internal crises, but we thank God that we are moving forward as a party.
“Don’t let us promote disunity and enmity, let us unite and do everything with love. God has chosen Governor Oyebanji for us in Ekiti, let us rally round him. It is to our own advantage and benefit.
“The APC is a party of the people and the system with which the governor is picking his appointees and leading this party has made things work for us as a party.
“If you look at the statistics of appointees of Governor Oyebanji, Ikere Local Government is ranked second after Ado Ekiti Local Government. This showed that our governor values and respects Ikere Ekiti people and we must reciprocate this gesture by doubling our votes for him in 2026”.
Also, a member of the House of Assembly representing Ikere Constituency II, Hon Tunde Idowu, pledged that his colleagues had endorsed the second term bid of Governor Oyebanji as a way of reciprocating the respect being accorded the legislature by the governor.
The lawmaker added that the assembly members would be at the forefront of the campaign to deliver resounding victory to the governor, so that the good works being initiated in Ekiti can continue till 2030.
Addressing the party leaders, ex-Deputy Governor Biodun Aluko, said the affirmation of Governor Oyebanji and Mrs Afuye for second term by APC elders still stands, saying Ikere Local Government is solidly behind the pronouncement made by party leaders from the district.
Aluko said the southern senatorial district will deliver the six local governments in the zone to Governor Oyebanji in 2026 governorship poll, saying all the 11 wards in Ikere Council will go the way of the APC being the most populated council in the zone.
“The elders of APC across Ekiti South Senatorial district had affirmed Governor Oyebanji and Mrs Afuye for second term and we have not changed from this position. And whoever does anything contrary will be denounced by all the elders”.
Aluko praised Mrs Afuye for being loyal to the governor, describing this as a selling point to Ikere politicians at this crucial time.
Speaking at the forum, former Majority Leader, Ekiti State House of Assembly, Hon. Kayode Babade, applauded Governor Oyebanji for allocating high number of political appointees in his cabinet to Ikere citizens, while the town also enjoys favourable consideration at the federal level under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu .
Babade dispelled the insinuation about the complaints against the flyover being built by the governor in Ado Ekiti metropolis, saying those describing it as a misplaced priority were not futuristic about Ekiti.
In his submission about the political network of the APC at the grassroots, the APC Chairman, Ikere Local Government, Hon Kayode Oyebode, appreciated the Deputy Governor and the party leaders for being committed to boost the party chances and acceptability in the council.
Oyebode stated that Governor Oyebanji has made the job of marketing the party easier on account of his scintillating performance, saying the 2026 victory shall be resounding with all hands on the deck to propagate the ideals of the party.
Present at the gathering are: Chairman, Ikere West Local Council Development Area, Hon Rufus Olorunfemi, Chief Francis Aladejebi, Engr Bimbo Ogundipe, Chairman, Ekiti State Teaching Service Commission, Mrs Rhoda Ojo, former Assembly member, Hon Sunday Akinniyi, Chief Bamidele Adewusi, Otunba Bisi Aloba, among others.