“Ekiti Deserves Continuity Like Lagos — Senate Leader Bamidele Backs Oyebanji for Second Term”

As preparations intensify for the 2026 Ekiti State governorship election, the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, has called for continuity in governance, stating that Ekiti deserves the kind of consistent development Lagos State has enjoyed through sustained leadership.

Speaking in Ado-Ekiti on Friday evening during a “Thank You Visit” to the All Progressives Congress (APC) State Executive Committee members, Bamidele said he was in the state to contest as a delegate ahead of the party’s governorship primary scheduled for Monday.

According to him, the APC Delegates’ Congress to select delegates for the October 27 primary would hold on Saturday, October 25. The delegates are expected to formally affirm Governor Biodun Oyebanji as the party’s candidate for the June 20, 2026 governorship election.

Recall that the APC had earlier announced Oyebanji as its consensus candidate following the withdrawal of Mrs. Atinuke Olayemi Omolayo, while the other two aspirants, Kayode Ojo and Abimbola Olawumi, were disqualified.

Bamidele said he looked forward to a peaceful primary, free of violence or bloodshed. He emphasized that continuity brings stability and progress, as seen in Lagos State since 1999, with remarkable growth in infrastructure and the economy.

Commending Governor Oyebanji’s performance, Bamidele noted that the administration had delivered impressive results despite limited resources. He, however, stressed the need for reconciliation among all party members.

He explained, “Our party allows three modes of primaries — direct, indirect, or consensus. After the screening, two aspirants were cleared, but one withdrew and endorsed Governor Oyebanji, leaving the consensus option. Even at that, the party’s constitution requires an affirmation, which will happen on Monday.”

Reacting to protests by some individuals at the APC national secretariat in Abuja, Bamidele said such actions were signs that “more political education and reconciliation are needed.”

He added, “We’ll keep reaching out to everyone. The governor has done well with what is available. Ekiti is not Rivers or Akwa Ibom with huge allocations, yet there’s visible progress across the state. Unless we expect a magician, we should acknowledge his achievements.”

Bamidele concluded by reaffirming his confidence in Oyebanji’s leadership, describing his administration as a testament to effective governance under financial constraints.