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OUTRAGE IN EKITI APC OVER OYEBANJI’S SECOND-TERM ENDORSEMENT COMMITTEE
The second term endorsement for Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji is reported to be raising dust in the ruling All Progressives Congress in the state.
Some concerned elders and youths of APC in the state, led by Chief Olaofe Adeniran, accused Oyebanji “of showing disdain, disrespect and flagrant disobedience to President Bola Tinubu and the APC National Working Committee by setting up a 24-member committee for his emergence as the adopted candidate of the party for the 2026 governorship election”.
According to the group, the formation of a 24-member committee—known as the BAO State Endorsement Committee and chaired by former Deputy Governor Abiodun Aluko—was a clear attempt by Oyebanji to impose himself as the party’s candidate.
The group said the governor’s actions defy President Tinubu’s repeated calls for internal party democracy and could cost the APC its hold on the state.
But the Publicity Secretary of the Ekiti APC, Segun Dipe, dismissed the claims of the group, saying the endorsement committee was set up by stakeholders and not the governor.
Some stakeholders in the state had on Saturday set up a committee tagged, “BAO (Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji) State Endorsement Committee”, headed by a former Deputy governor, Abiodun Aluko, saying that “the Oyebanji government has made remarkable progress and impact in the lives of Ekiti people which have practically silenced opposition voices within the state, with leading opposition figures praising and supporting the governor”.
But the concerned elders and youths, in a statement on Monday, accused Oyebanji of “closing the democratic space against eligible and competent party members in violation of the party’s guidelines and President Tinubu’s directive on adherence to internal party democracy”.
They called on Tinubu; APC National Chairman, Umar Ganduje; and other national leaders to caution Oyebanji in order to avoid an unpleasant backlash that could cost the party the state especially with Tinubu’s declaration on internal democracy within the party and his insistence that APC must conduct free, fair and transparent primaries for all elective offices.
The concerned elders and youths expressed surprise at what they described as the premature action of self-succession of the governor, “especially when the Independent National Electoral Commission had not issued any directive in this regard”
“The APC constitution, which should serve as a guiding document for the party’s internal affairs is specifically clear in matters relating to primary elections,” the group added.
They claimed that Oyebanji was planning a mega rally to create false impression of his acceptance at the grassroot level state-wide despite his alleged authoritarian approach to governance, adding, “This approach is inimical to development”.
The group advised Oyebanji that instead of acting in violation of the Electoral Act through unsanctioned electioneering activities, he should “focus on providing good governance and democracy dividends to the people of the state”.
It queried, “Who exactly is Governor Oyebanji afraid of? Why this rush, the waste of financial resources for endorsement and chaotic adoption process? Why is this so-called popular governor, who should be confident in his leadership, scrambling to adopt himself with such fear and uncertainty?
“This smacks of insecurity, an insecure leader attempting to secure his hold on power in the most undemocratic and panicked manner possible. It sends a clear message to the public: It is obvious that the governor is afraid of scrutiny. Afraid of competition. And most importantly, afraid of the truth that his dismal performance has exposed,”they said
But the APC spokesman, Dipe, who said the “so-called group” was unknown to the party, advised its members not to cry wolves where there was none.
“They should not blame anyone for endorsing Oyebanji. If you look at the people clinically, they may be endorsing another person silently,” Dipe said.
Dipe, who said that Oyebanji had not shown interest nor publicly expressed desire for a second term though the constitution permitted a second term, added that calls on him by different sectors and people to seek another term was part of political activities.
He said, “My immediate response is that nobody has proved to us that this thing (endorsement committee) is being masterminded by Governor Oyebanji. It is a political activity and political activities will always go on whether you like it or not. I see it as traces of political activities going on.
“If anybody has said that they want the governor to run for second term, it is not that Oyebanji has started campaigning. It is their advice, it is their suggestion, it does not mean that the governor has consented to it. It does not mean that the party echelon has said that he must.
“As some are asking Governor Oyebanji to contest, some people are also asking Kayode Ojo to contest. Also in PDP and other parties, some people are asking others to contest. It is a natural political activity.
“I don’t think they have committed any harm, they are just saying that with the food works the governor is doing, we give you vote of confidence and we will want you to continue as our governor as much was the constitution allows it.
“The 1999 constitution as amended has given the governor the go-ahead to run for second term. It allows for two terms. The constitution of our party allows for two terms. Those are the things I can be harping on. The constitution allows him except we find him wanting.
“Right now, he (Oyebanji) has not said whether he wants to contest or he doesn’t want to contest. So people can be saying we want you to contest. I dare say he deserves a second term”.
Dipe, who dismissed all the allegations and fears expressed by the group, said, “There is no proof at this point that it’s the governor that is setting up the committee. Any committee that the governor sets up will be announced by the Chief Press Secretary, but there is nothing like that in this case. It is more of political activity from various quarters.
“Endorsement does not mean that they have cancelled electioneering campaign, they have not even flagged off campaign, so the governor has not said whether he has accepted or not. By and large, I say that we (APC) did not receive any such constitution of the committee by the governor. It is not the governor that constituted the endorsement committee,” he said.
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