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CALL TO RESCUE EKITI: TIME FOR COMPETENCE IS NOW
By Kolawole Adefemi
Gentlemen of the Press,
Today is not an ordinary day. It is a defining moment, not only for Ekiti State but for the very soul of our great party. the All Progressives Congress (APC).
As you know, the Independent
The National Electoral Commission (INEC has issued a time table for the 2026 Ekiti State off season election and consequently, our party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has fixed
the gubernatorial primary election for Monday, October 27, 2025, setting in motion the journey toward the Ekiti State Govemorship Election n 2026.
This is more than a contest for the ticket of our party: it is the launch of Ekitt State Rescue Mission. A mission championed by Engr. Kayode Ojo, a man whose life in business and public service has been defined by excellence, capacity, integrity, and delivery.
From boardrooms where he built enterprises that created jobs to his tenure as Pro-Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka where he restored stability after a turbulent period, Ojo has
consistently demonstrated competence and vision.
It is for these reasons that the true stakeholders of our party and committed Ekiti sons and daughters have demanded that Engr. Kayode Olubunmi Ojo step forward.
Ekiti is bleeding The state has lost its way under the
incompetent leadership of Mr. Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji, and our people are yearning for a leader who can restore confidence, ignite development, and deliver good governance.
Party Negligence and Lack of Commitment to Renewed Hope Agenda
Since ascending to office, Governor Oyebanji has presided over what many describe as the systematic dismantling of the party machinery that once carried him to power.
Rather than consolidating the All Progressives Congress (APC) as a united force, his administration has been marked by neglect, exclusion, and political insensitivity.
The same grassroots leaders
and party stakeholders who championed his candidacy, endured the rigours of campaigning and delivered victory at the polls have now been alienated and left to languish in irrelevance.
His distance from the party’s base has created an unmistakable disconnect between the government and the people, eroding loyalty and weakening mobilisation strength across the state.
One of the gravest missteps of Governor Oyebanji has been his reckless disregard for party loyalty in appointments.
Over one hundred positions, including key commissionerships, have been handed to members of opposition parties, while committed APC leaders and faithful
who worked tirelessly for his emergence remain sidelined.
This unprecedented preference for political outsiders over loyal party members has sown deep resentment, painting the governor
as one who rewards adversaries while punishing his own base.
The resulting disenchantment has left many within the APC questioning whether the sacrifices they made for his election were in vain.
The governor’s relationship with the State House of Assembly has also become a flashpoint of dishonest leadership. Instead of empowering APC legislators and positioning them as vital partners in governance, Oyebanji has systematically stripped them of influence and excluded
them from decision-making processes.
Lawmakers who should be the bridge between the government and the grassroots have been rendered spectators, unable to meaningfully
represent their constituencies.
This deliberate sidelining of elected representatives has only weakened the legislature but has also fractured the internal checks and balances that
sustain party cohesion and good governance.
At the grassroots level, disillusionment is palpable. Ward leaders, youth organisers, and community mobilisers who once formed the backbone of Oyebanji’s campaign now feel abandoned. Party meetings and consultations that should be platforms for dialogue and inclusion have become perfunctory or non-existent, leaving stakeholders disengaged and
unmotivated.
This neglect has turned the once vibrant APC structure into a shadow of itself with morale at an all-time low and confidence in the governor’s leadership dwindling rapidly.
The overall picture is one of a governor who has squandered goodwill and betrayed the trust of his own party. By distancing himself irom the machinery that secured his rise, by alienating legislators, by elevating opposition figures over loyal APC members, and by ignoring the grassroots, Governor Oyebanji has left the party fractured, demoralised, and
vulnerable.
His governance style has not only undermined internal cohesion but also placed the APC at risk of electoral setbacks, as frustrated stakeholders increasingly contemplate whether their political future lies within a party that has turned its back on them.
Even more alarming is the manipulation of party membership data. Under Governor
Oyebanji’s watch, verified APC membership figures have mysteriously plummeted from 186.0000 to just 114.000.
This is not a reflection of dwindling support, it is a deliberate attempt
to shrink the support base of our great party for his ulterior motive and that of his godfathers.
We have it on strong authority that the governor is planning to defect to another party after losing the primary.
About the Governor’s Performance
When those who collected Governor Biodun Oyebanji nomination form were asked what he had done to merit a second term, they pointed to his success in uniting former governors, limited opportunities, and basic infrastructure needs.
This so-called unity raises a deeper gesture they hailed as a political triumph. But for the average Ekiti citizen, struggling with life, question as to how resolving an elite-level disagreement, if it ever truly existed, translates into tangible improvements in their daily lives?
Was Ekiti ever at war that required such
reconciliation? The people are not asking for symbolic peace among political elites; they are asking for roads that don’t crumble. schools that educate, hospitals that heal, safe environment. and policies that uplift.
True peace is not the absence of conflict among the elites, it is the presence of justice, opportunity, and development for all. Governor Oyebanii
must understand that good governance, delivered without stress or drama, is what truly brings lasting peace to Ekiti, not political choreography embedding unapproved cash out to the elites.
Misplaced Priorities and Desperation
Instead of fixing power, roads, schools, or hospitals, the governor has diverted billions into endorsement jamborees designed to manufacture popularity without success. From government circles to grassroots structures, defections from Oyebanji ‘s fold to Engr. Kayode
Ojo’s camp within the APC have become a daily occurrence, and this manifest in the number resignations from his government, which he publicly attested to in a recent viral video.
Ekiti people deserve working roads and clinics and not intimidation of loyal party members. Over N20 billion under different configurations has been expended on endorsement since he
assumed office.
The State of Federal Road in Ekiti State
One of the most glaring failures of Governor Biodun Oyebanji is his constant excuse-making on the deplorable condition of federal roads in Ekiti State. Instead of taking responsibility, he keeps shifting the blame to Abuja, claiming the roads are beyond his jurisdiction Yet, this same governor has spent billions on the Ado Ifaki axis, showing that when it suits his
political interest, jurisdiction is no barrier.
A responsible leader does not fold his arms while citizens suffer, he finds solutions. Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State faced similar criticism on federal roads, but rather than hide under excuses, he committed nearly N100 billion to fix the Sango-Ota-Abeokuta road and also took bold action on the Lusada-Atan-Agbara road.
He didn’t waste energy blaming President Bola Alhned Tinubu; he acted.
Governor Oyebanji, despite receiving tens of billions in extra-budgetary support from the same President, has failed to deliver even basic palliative repairs that could make roads passable.
Instead, he chose to disparage the President while leaving Ekiti citizens in untold hardship.
The contrast becomes even clearer when you consider the track record of Engr. Kayode Ojo as Pro-Chancellor of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, he facilitated palliative repairs on the Ifaki-Ikole road, easing the movement of students and staff at a time the state government looked the other way.
If Ojo could achieve that as a university Pro-Chancellor without the
resources of a governor, what excuse does Oyebanji have with billions of naira at his disposal?
Leadership is about action, not excuses, It is about prioritising the welfare of citizens over political rhetoric. Ekiti people deserve a governor who takes responsibility, not one who shifts blame.
Engr. Kayode Ojo has shown he has the capacity and the will: Governor Oyeharji has shown only excuses and failures.
Leadership Beyond Politics
Engr. Kayode Ojo’s commitment to national development transcends political affiliations.
While he remains a loyal supporter of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, his dedication to institutional stability and educational reform stands as a testament to his broader vision for Nigeria.
As Pro-Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), Engr. Ojo inherited a deeply fractured institution grappling with leadership vacuums and administrative
uncertainty.
The absence of a substantive Vice-Chancellor had left the university in a state of limbo, affecting academic calendars, staff morale, student welfare and complete collapse of infrastructure.
Rather than allow the crisis to fester, Engr. Ojo took decisive action.
Through strategic
consultations with the university’s Governing Council, federal education authorities, and key stakeholders across the Southeast, he facilitated a transparent and merit-driven process that led to the appointment of a substantive Vice-Chancellor, which could not be achieved in the last four years, His intervention not only restored administrative order but also rekindled
confidence in the university’s leadership.
Today. UNN is regaining its footing as one of Nigeria’s premier institutions, thanks in large part to Engr. Ojo’s steady hand and diplomatic acumen.
His efforts have earned President Bola Tinubu widespread respect and support, not just within Nsukka and Enugu State, but across the Eastern region because of the interest the Nsukka problem generated.
Community leaders, academic unions, and student bodies have publicly
acknowledged the President’s role in stabilising the university, describing him as a bridge-builder and a man of action due to Engr. Kayode Ojo’s role as Pro-Chancellor of UNN.
In a
country where educational institutions often suffer from politicised interference, Engr. Ojo’s approach offers a refreshing model of principled leadership.
Engr. Kayode Ojo’s blueprint: A Summary
Engr Kayode Ojo’s blueprint for Ekiti State is a bold and transformative vision aimed at creating a distinct economic identity that positions the state as a global destination.
At the core of his strategy is a functional human capital development, which he sees as the engine for sustainable growth across key sectors.
By investing in education, vocational training. and
entrepreneurial capacity, he plans to empower Ekiti people to drive innovation in agriculture, tourism, and infrastructure, through a strategic security system.
His agricultural reforms will shift the sector from subsistence to agribusiness, leveraging modern techniques and value-
chain development to boost productivity and exports.
In tourism, he intends to unlock Ekiti’s
natural and cultural assets through strategic site upgrades, hospitality training. and global marketing initiatives. Infrastructure development will be pursued aggressively, with improved
roads, energy, and digital connectivity laying the foundation for commerce and investment.
Engr. Kayode Ojo envisions a game-changing super-highway that will connect Ekiti State directly to Nigeria’s coastal seaports (Lekki). forged through strategic collaboration with the Federal Government and international partners.
This visionary infrastructure will elevate Ekiti into a pivotal inland logistics hub, a dry port where goods bound for the northern corridor converge, streamlining national trade routes and slashing transit costs.
More than just a road, it’s a lifeline for industrial expansion, unlocking seamless access to imported machinery
equipment and essential commodities With this bold move, Ekiti will emerge as a
powerhouse in Nigeria’s supply chain, magnetizing investment, accelerating development and reinforcing its role as a dynamic engine of economic transformation.
In line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda on local government autonomy, Engr.
Kavode Ojo will ensure total autonomy of local governments in Ekiti State.
Through international partnerships, diaspora engagement, and transparent governance, Engr.
OR aims to elevate Ekiti s profile on the world stage, turning it into a model of inclusiveness, people-powered development and a global destination
God bless Ekati State God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
God bless the APC
Rt. Hon. Kolawole Adefemi is the
Pioneer Speaker
Ekiti State House of Assembly
About The Author
