Governor Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti State has officially emerged as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the 2026 gubernatorial election, following a unanimous voice vote by 885 accredited delegates across the 16 local government areas of the state.
The affirmation, which took place on Monday at the Ekiti State Pavilion along the new Iyin Road in Ado-Ekiti, marked a historic moment, making Oyebanji the first sitting governor under the APC in Ekiti to secure the party’s ticket for a second consecutive term since the return of democracy in 1999.
The process, described by party leaders as transparent and consensus-driven, was kick-started with a motion moved by Senate Leader Michael Opeyemi Bamidele and seconded by the Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adeoye Aribasoye.
Chairman of the Affirmation Congress Committee and Governor of Kogi State, Ahmed Usman Ododo, commended the peaceful nature of the exercise, noting that the decision to adopt Oyebanji as the consensus candidate was a reflection of internal unity and the party’s recognition of his performance in office.
“I can inform this gathering that the decision by our great party to adopt Oyebanji is not a product of imposition, but a collective effort to allow the good works the APC government in Ekiti has recorded so far to continue,” Ododo stated.
National Chairman of the APC, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, had earlier inaugurated an 11-man Consensus Committee to oversee the process. The committee, chaired by Governor Ododo and deputized by his Edo State counterpart, Senator Monday Okpebholo, was tasked with conducting the affirmation in line with the decision of the National Working Committee.
Represented by the party’s Deputy National Organising Secretary, Nze Chidi Duru, Professor Yilwatda lauded the outcome of the delegate polls held on Saturday, describing Oyebanji as a unifying figure whose leadership has deepened the APC’s grassroots acceptance in Ekiti.
In his acceptance speech, Governor Oyebanji expressed deep appreciation to President Bola Tinubu, the APC National Leadership, members of the National Assembly from Ekiti, and former governors Niyi Adebayo and Kayode Fayemi for their unwavering support.
“I hereby accept this honour to fly the flag of our great party in the forthcoming gubernatorial election. This is historic because it is the first time any ruling party in Ekiti would unanimously return a sitting governor as its candidate. I assure you that this trust will not be taken for granted,” Oyebanji said.
He extended an olive branch to other aspirants and party members, urging unity and restraint in political engagements. “To my colleagues in the race, there is no victor and no vanquished. We all belong to one family — the APC family. Let’s come together to lift Ekiti higher. I plead that we put an end to character assassinations, cyberbullying, and divisive rhetoric on social media. The task ahead requires all of us.”
With Monday’s consensus affirmation, the APC in Ekiti State has formally set the stage for what is expected to be a decisive and strategic campaign ahead of the 2026 governorship election.
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