As Ekiti State’s political landscape entered a new phase of strategic mobilization, a leading stalwart of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Pharmacist Adedayo Oluwasanmi has lauded Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s declaration of intent to seek a second term in office.
Speaking on Monday shortly after the governor formally notified the State Working Committee of the APC at the party’s secretariat in Ado-Ekiti, Oluwasanmi described the step as the official take-off point of another inevitable victory for the party in the forthcoming 2026 governorship election.
Governor Oyebanji, in company with top government functionaries and key party chieftains, had on Monday visited the APC headquarters Ajilosun Ado Ekiti to submit his letter of intent before the party leadership led by Barrister Shola Elesin. Oluwasanmi said the symbolic gesture, which came barely a week after a historic statewide endorsement rally, had reinvigorated the party’s rank and file, while further cementing public confidence in the governor’s leadership.
Reflecting on last week’s unprecedented endorsement ceremony at the Ekiti Parapo Pavilion, Oluwasanmi noted that the event marked a watershed in Ekiti’s political history. The rally was attended by a rich blend of political leaders across party lines, artisans, market women, students, professionals, and community-based groups who converged in their thousands to reaffirm their support for Governor Oyebanji and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ahead of the 2026 and 2027 electoral cycles.
The Ode-Ekiti-born pharmacist and grassroots heavyweight maintained that the calibre and diversity of the crowd spoke volumes about the mass appeal of Governor Oyebanji’s administration. According to him, the governor’s simplicity, accessibility, and commitment to people-centred development had endeared him to traditional institutions, opinion moulders, and ordinary citizens across the 16 local government areas of the state.
He remarked that the overwhelming endorsement of both Oyebanji and Tinubu demonstrated that good governance sells itself. Drawing from his professional background, Oluwasanmi likened their leadership to potent medication whose efficacy needs no aggressive marketing. “Once the people can feel the impact of governance, roads constructed, hospitals upgraded, youths empowered, they will naturally rally behind such leadership,” he said.
Oluwasanmi recalled that the rally witnessed the defection of prominent opposition figures, including former Senate Minority Leader, Senator Biodun Olujimi; former Attorney-General, Obafemi Adewale (SAN); and state lawmaker, Hon. Babatunde Omolayo, an occurrence he described as a tectonic shift in the political equilibrium of Ekiti. He stressed that their decision to align with the APC was a ringing confirmation that Governor Oyebanji had succeeded in building bridges beyond partisan boundaries.
He highlighted further that notable dignitaries such as Ondo State Governor, Lucky Ayedatiwa; former Governors Segun Oni, Niyi Adebayo and Ayodele Fayose; Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele; and APC National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru, lent their voices to the call for continuity, describing both Oyebanji and Tinubu as leaders whose stewardship deserved consolidation.
According to Oluwasanmi, the rare public embrace of Oyebanji’s performance, and the collective pledge to by former Governors to support him in winning the demonstrated the new spirit of statesmanship taking root in Ekiti.
He suggested that such bipartisan camaraderie was evidence that developmental politics had finally triumphed over bitter rivalry.
He reiterated that President Tinubu’s reform policies, though initially austere, were already yielding positive outcomes in the realms of infrastructure, healthcare, education and macroeconomic stability, particularly in Ekiti State. He commended Governor Oyebanji for keying into the federal development agenda by undertaking landmark projects such as the reconstruction of the 19-kilometre Ado–Iworoko–Ifaki road, noting that governance thrives where there exists alignment between state and federal authorities.
Oluwasanmi expressed optimism that Ekiti people would, once again, rally around the governor to deliver a landslide victory in 2026, just as they gave President Tinubu overwhelming support during the 2023 presidential polls. He charged party loyalists to view the endorsement rally not as an end in itself, but as a clarion call to deeper grassroots engagement, robust ward-to-ward mobilisation, and sustained community outreach.
He added that the APC’s growing appeal amongst youths, women, and professional groups was largely attributable to Governor Oyebanji’s inclusive governance style, which has seen the strategic appointment of young and competent Ekiti indigenes into key positions. This, he said, could only be fully consolidated through a second term in office.
Noting that the essence of democracy is the freedom to contest, Oluwasanmi applauded Governor Oyebanji for emphasising that the APC ticket remained open to all aspirants despite the overwhelming endorsements. He described the governor’s stance as a demonstration of democratic maturity and confidence in a transparent process.
Looking ahead, Oluwasanmi pledged to return to his political base in Ode-Ekiti and sustain aggressive mobilisation in support of Governor Oyebanji and President Tinubu. He emphasised that victory at the polls is built on consistency, sacrifice, and an unwavering connection with the people, rather than on rallies alone.
He said that Ekiti had spoken through its united front and would continue to stand as a beacon of progressive politics. “This is not just a moment of celebration, but the dawn of a renewed movement,” he asserted. “We are committed to ensuring that the developmental vision of President Tinubu and Governor Oyebanji continues unhindered, because Ekiti understands the value of proven leadership.”
With Monday’s declaration, Oluwasanmi affirmed that the APC in Ekiti had now officially entered campaign mode. He urged all stakeholders to close ranks and intensify their efforts so that the 2026 governorship election would not only return Governor Oyebanji to office, but do so with historic figures that reaffirm Ekiti’s pride as the land of honour and integrity.