Ekiti Guber: We’ll Run Inclusive Campaign That’ll Deliver over 500,000 Votes, says Senate Leader.

Ekiti Guber: We’ll Run Inclusive Campaign That’ll Deliver over 500,000 Votes, says Senate Leader.

 The Senate Leader and Chairman of  Ekiti State 2026 Governorship Campaign Council, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele has said that the council will run an inclusive, transparent, credible and a well-coordinated campaign strategy designed to deliver no fewer than 500,000 votes in the forthcoming governorship and presidential election.

Senate Bamidele stated this on Wednesday during the council’s meeting in Ado- Ekiti. He said the campaign would be driven by a clear structure that prioritises grassroots mobilisation and effective engagement across all strata of the electorate, ensuring that the party’s message resonate widely.

Speaking with journalists shortly after the meeting, the Senate Leader said all the six members of the House of Representative in the state have been appointed to be federal constituency coordinators in the six federal constituencies in the state.

He added that the council would adopt a focused and issue-based approach, highlighting the achievements of the current administration while presenting a forward-looking agenda to the people of the state.

Stressing that the major campaign would commence soon, the Senate Leader also disclosed that the campaign council has been carefully populated to ensure wide representation across the State and to effectively reach the grassroots.

Senator Bamidele expressed confidence in the performance of the Governor, adding that the administration’s track record would serve as a strong selling point for the campaign. assuring said the achievements recorded by the Governor would resonate with the electorate and translate into massive support at the poll .

He maintained that the strategies already put in place would not only secure victory for the Governor but also set a benchmark for campaign organisation and electoral success in the state.

“We will want to run an inclusive campaign, we will run a political campaign that will not only deliver the Governor as the candidate of the party but a campaign that will prepare the state for the subsequent elections.

“We will not only run a campaign, we are planning to run a fanfare that will also help stimulate the average voters in Ekiti State and the Governor has also emphasized on the need to run his campaign in a way that would have also prepare the people for the presidential elections, national assembly elections as well as the house of assembly election”. The senate leader asserted.

In his remarks, Governor Oyebanji said he was satisfied with the progress recorded so far by  the campaign council, noting that the efforts of the council and the party’s  stakeholders have laid a solid foundation for a successful election.

Commending the strategic planning and grassroots mobilisation already underway, the Governor described them as a key driver that would strengthen the party’s outreach and engagement with voters across the state.

Also speaking, the Director General of the Campaign Council, Senator Cyril Fasuyi said the target is to ensure that the Governor wins by landslide, noting that securing less than 500,000 votes for the Governorship and presidential elections would be considered below expectation

He emphasized that the campaign machinery has been structured to cover all wards and local government areas, ensuring robust mobilisation and effective voter engagement at the grassroots.

OYEBANJI CELEBRATES FORMER NIGERIAN ENVOY TO UNESCO, PROF OMOLEWA AT 85.

OYEBANJI CELEBRATES FORMER NIGERIAN ENVOY TO UNESCO, PROF OMOLEWA AT 85.

Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, has congratulated former Nigeria's Permanent Delegate and Ambassador to the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Prof Michael Omolewa on his 85th birthday.

Governor Oyebanji in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr Yinka Oyebode, celebrated Prof Omolewa’s legacies and contributions to scholarship, education and diplomacy.

He noted the octogenarian scholar’s sacrifices, commitment to academic excellence in the nation's ivory towers of learning contributed to Nigeria's enviable rise as Africa's knowledge powerhouse.

The Governor said Prof Omolewa's history-making feat as the first West African to be elected as President of the General Conference of UNESCO was a remarkable milestone which Nigeria remains ever so proud of.

Describing Prof Omolewa as one of the legends of Adult Education in Nigeria, Governor Oyebanji said his efforts contributed in no small measure in making education accessible to more elderly individuals who did not have opportunities of formal education in their formative years.

He prayed God to grant Prof Omolewa more fulfilled years on the surface of the earth to continue to offer more service to Nigeria in particular and humanity in general.

“On behalf of the Government and good people of Ekiti State, I congratulate our revered academic, diplomat and elder statesman, Prof Michael Omolewa on his 85th birthday and pray that God will sustain  him with good health and grace as he continues to inspire the younger generations. “, the statement added.

Ekiti Continues to Lead Subnational Transaparency and Accountability Reports.

Ekiti Continues to Lead Subnational Transaparency and Accountability Reports.

Ekiti State Government has been adjudged to be the leading state in both local government budget transparency as well as subnational audit efficacy in the new reports published by BudgIT and PLSI, respectively.

This is coming barely weeks after BudgIT reported that the State Government, under the leadership of Governor Biodun Oyebanji, maintained the top position throughout the four quarters of year 2025 in fiscal transparency.

Ekiti State, in the new BudgIT report, was rated among the top 10 states in the federation that published detailed and accessible budget information for all its Local Government Areas (LGAs) and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs). 

According to the report, Ekiti stands out by providing individual 2026 budgets for all the 16 Local Government Councils and 22 LCDAs, accompanied by signed PDFs, minutes of Town Hall Consultation meetings, and NCOA-formatted Excel templates.

This approach, BudgIT says,  emphasizes transparency and accountability, setting a great example for other states. 

In addition to the BudgIT report, Ekiti also came first in the just realised PLSI Subnational Audit Efficacy Index. The report shows Ekiti has successfully established the independence of the Auditor-General’s office, while also implementing the financial autonomy of the audit function. It acknowledges the effectiveness of the oversight function of the State Assembly, especially its Public Accounts Committee. 

The Biodun Oyebanji administration prioritizes citizens involvement in budget preparation. Aside its quarterly stakeholders engagements held on zonal basis, it holds a consultations across local government areas to get input into the budget preparations, it also mandates each local government to hold similar consultations ahead of  their respective budget preparations. 

Details of both the state’s annual budget, and the local government’s budgets as well as government procurements are published on the state websites, in line with the accountability and transparency policy of the administration. 

Commenting on the multiple accolades, Governor Oyebanji says the administration is an open book- made available to all citizens to access. He expresses his appreciation to the people of the State for their demonstrated support and cooperation with the administration adding that the success of the administration’s fiscal policies were made possible by their cooperation. 

He says his administration will continue to promote transparency and accountability in government in addition to prioritizing the wellbeing and welfare of the people.

The disclosure was made in a statement signed and released to the media by Olayinka Oyebode, Special Adviser (Media) to the Governor of Ekiti State, on Monday, April 2026.

Ekiti State Launches Innovation Enterprise Support Fund to Power Next Generation of Startups.

Ekiti State Launches Innovation Enterprise Support Fund to Power Next Generation of Startups.

 

The Ekiti State Government, under the leadership of Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji, has officially launched the Innovation Enterprise Support Fund (IESF) — a strategic initiative designed to support tech-enabled businesses, high-potential startups, and scale innovation-driven enterprises across the state.

The programme will support startups over a 2-month period, providing a structured pathway from ideation to scale through three phases: Ideation & Incubation, Pre-Acceleration, and Acceleration.

In addition to government backing, the programme is strengthened by additional funding support from FirstBank of Nigeria Limited, reinforcing a strong public-private partnership model for enterprise growth.

Beyond funding, the IESF offers:

-Expert mentorship and advisory 

-Market access and investor connections 

-Capacity development in digital and business skills 

-Technology-enabled selection and evaluation processes 

The Honourable Commissioner for Innovation, Science and Digital Economy, 'Seun Fakuade, emphasized:

“This is not just a funding initiative — it is a deliberate strategy to build a pipeline of globally competitive entrepreneurs and tech-enabled businesses from Ekiti. We are investing in ideas, but more importantly, in people and capacity.”

The initiative is designed to:

1. Strengthen Ekiti’s innovation ecosystem 

2. Create jobs and stimulate enterprise growth 

3. Support youth, women, and underserved communities (fund is intended for at least 40% female-led enterprises)

4. Position Ekiti as a leading subnational innovation hub 

Interested applicants can apply via:

https://iesf.ekitistate.gov.ng/

OYEBANJI MOURNS DEATH OF RENOWNED EDUCATIONIST, CHIEF DARAMOLA.

OYEBANJI MOURNS DEATH OF RENOWNED EDUCATIONIST, CHIEF DARAMOLA.

Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, has expressed his condolences on the death of renowned educationist, school administrator and community leader, Chief Francis Adebayo Daramola.

Chief Daramola, father of Hon Bimbo Daramola, a former member of the House of Representatives who represented Ekiti North Federal Constituency II between 2011 and 2015 and Convener of BAO Walk Monthly programme, passed on Monday. He was aged 99 years old. 

Governor Oyebanji, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr Yinka Oyebode, described Chief Daramola’s death as a huge loss to Ekiti State considering his contribution to education and community development.

The Governor said the late senior citizen was a household name in the teaching profession in Nigeria and Ekiti in particular. He recalled that the late Chief Daramola meritoriously served as principal in many prestigious secondary schools in the old Western Region, Western State and old Ondo State in what was regarded as a golden era for the education sector.

The Governor hailed the deceased for his service to the state and humanity after retiring from service including his membership of prominent groups like Afenifere and Ekiti Council of Elders most especially in offering useful advice to the government. 

Specifically, Governor Oyebanji recalled how the late Chief Daramola, then the Principal of Aramoko District Commercial School (ADICO) facilitated his WAEC re- registration at the school, stressing that that singular act shaped his career path as a teenager. 

The Governor commiserated with Hon. Bimbo Daramola and his siblings, noting that the prayers and the thoughts of the government and people of Ekiti State are with the family. 

Governor Oyebanji who, earlier on Monday,  paid a condolence visit to the family on Monday, urged the children to be consoled by the good name, worthy legacies and the blessing of ripe old age the deceased enjoyed in his lifetime.

Former NPC Commissioner Ayodeji Ajayi Congratulates New NPC Ekiti State Nominee, Hon. Kolawole Alabi.

Former NPC Commissioner Ayodeji Ajayi Congratulates New NPC Ekiti State Nominee, Hon. Kolawole Alabi.

Hon. Ayodeji Ajayi the immediate past Federal Commissioner of the National Population Commission (NPC) representing Ekiti State, has formally extended his congratulations to Hon. Kolawole Oladipupo Alabi, following his nomination to the Commission by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The nomination comes as part of the President's recent move to fill seven vacant commissioner positions within the NPC, pending confirmation by the National Assembly.

In a statement reflecting on the significance of the appointment, Hon. Ayodeji Ajayi expressed strong optimism regarding Alabi’s capacity to handle the rigorous responsibilities of the office. While acknowledging the scale of the challenges ahead, the former commissioner noted that the new nominee possesses the competence required to excel in the role. "I wish him the very best," Ajayi remarked. "The work  ahead is very enormous, but I am sure he is up to the task."

Drawing from his experience in the commission, Ajayi highlighted the high stakes of the upcoming five-year term, emphasizing that the data collection and policy decisions made by the NPC in the immediate future will dictate the developmental trajectory of Ekiti State for the next half a century. He noted that the decisions taken by the commission in the next five years will affect the state for the next 50 years. He remains committed to the success of the new appointee. "I will continue to pray and support you for the success of the new assignment," Ajayi added.

The nomination of Hon. Kolawole Oladipupo Alabi is now subject to confirmation by the National Assembly. Once cleared, Alabi will join six other nominees in a commission tasked with modernizing Nigeria's population data and managing civil registration systems. For Ekiti State, this transition is viewed as a vital step in ensuring the state’s demographic interests are accurately represented in national planning, with the endorsement from a veteran like Hon. Deji Ajayi signaling a strong continuity of purpose for the state’s interests at the federal level.

Adamawa Elders Hail Yilwatda’s Emergence as APC National Chair, Pledge Full Support.

Adamawa Elders Hail Yilwatda’s Emergence as APC National Chair, Pledge Full Support.

The Adamawa Progressive Elders Council (APEC) has formally congratulated Professor Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda following his election as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), describing his victory as a "significant milestone" for the nation’s political landscape.

In a press statement released on Monday, March 30, 2026, the Council, led by its Chairman, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), lauded the election as a strategic win for the "progressive family" in Nigeria. The Council emphasized that Professor Yilwatda’s elevation to the helm of the ruling party is not a product of chance but a reflection of his unwavering dedication and the high level of trust he has cultivated within the party ranks.

General Marwa, speaking on behalf of the Council, highlighted Yilwatda’s credentials as a core progressive, noting that his leadership comes at a pivotal moment in Nigeria’s history. He characterized the election as a victory for the people and a clear demonstration of the APC's commitment to inclusivity. Marwa expressed absolute confidence in Yilwatda’s ability to lead the party to greater heights while contributing significantly to the nation's overall development.

Beyond the celebrations, the Adamawa Elders issued a rallying cry for internal cohesion. The Council urged all party members and the general Nigerian public to set aside differences and provide the new Chairman with the necessary support to execute the party’s mandate. This pledge includes a commitment to stand by the Yilwatda administration and a focus on steering the APC toward goals that prioritize the betterment of Nigerian society.

The statement, signed by Ahmad I. Sajoh, Head of Media and Publicity for the Adamawa Progressive Elders Council, concludes with a prayer for the Professor’s success. It frames his tenure as a potential turning point for the APC’s organizational growth and national impact. With the backing of influential blocs like the Adamawa Progressive Elders, Professor Yilwatda begins his chairmanship with a strong vote of confidence from the Northeast, signaling a push for stability and inclusive governance within the ruling party.