Ekiti Govt Debunks Viral Defection Rumour Involving Oyebanji, Fayemi, Says Desperate Politicians Making Mischiefs

The Ekiti State Government has strongly debunked a viral report alleging that Governor Biodun Oyebanji and some top officeholders are planning to defect from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), describing the claim as false, misleading, and a calculated attempt by political mischief-makers to sow discord in the state.

In a statement issued on Monday, the Special Adviser on Media to the Governor, Mr. Olayinka Oyebode, dismissed the report as the handiwork of faceless and desperate politicians who, lacking a clear vision or credible plan to engage with the electorate, have resorted to peddling lies on social media in a bid to gain political traction. The statement categorically affirmed Governor Oyebanji’s unwavering commitment to the APC and his progressive ideals.

The controversial report, which surfaced online over the weekend, claimed that Governor Oyebanji and some unnamed public officials were being led into the ADC by the former Governor of the State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi. Reacting, Oyebode insisted that neither the Governor nor any of the mentioned public officials had any links or intentions to join another party, emphasizing that they remained “firmly rooted in the APC.”

Oyebode pointed to Dr. Fayemi’s recent attendance at the APC Caucus meeting in Iyin-Ekiti, where the party unanimously endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Oyebanji for a second term, as clear evidence of continued loyalty and alignment within the APC fold. The endorsement was widely reported across print, broadcast, and digital media platforms.

Governor Oyebanji, according to the statement, has never left the progressive bloc since the inception of Nigeria’s Fourth Republic in 1999 and is considered one of the most consistent political actors in Ekiti’s progressive political movement. The media aide accused the purveyors of the defection rumour of attempting to use the Governor’s cordial relationship with Dr. Fayemi as a wedge to create division between him and President Tinubu.

“The President is a strategic politician who can easily see through the lies and agenda of these mischief makers,” Oyebode asserted, adding that no amount of propaganda would derail the developmental focus of the Oyebanji-led administration.

While urging the public to disregard what he described as a “childish media attack,” Oyebode called out the unnamed individuals behind the campaign of calumny, alleging that they were aspiring governorship hopefuls who lacked the courage to openly declare their ambitions and engage with party members and the electorate in a transparent and credible manner.

The statement concluded with a challenge to the rumour peddlers to embrace the democratic process as outlined by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which has already announced the date for the party primaries, rather than resorting to “ignoble” tactics.

Governor Oyebanji, who recently marked significant milestones in infrastructure and governance reforms in Ekiti, has consistently reiterated his administration’s commitment to stability, party unity, and people-centered leadership.

The state government has therefore advised residents to remain focused and ignore all forms of divisive propaganda aimed at disrupting the prevailing atmosphere of peace and progress in the stat