The release of the official governorship candidates’ list by INEC is not merely an administrative exercise; it is an official political statement that should resonate in the minds of those who can discern. It compels every stakeholder in Ekiti to pause, look inward, and ask hard but necessary questions, not of ambition, but of responsibility. With Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji (BAO), duly listed for the June 2026 governorship election, Ekiti has crossed the Rubicon; from speculations and twisted narratives to facing realities. At this stage, sentiment must now bow to reason, and grievance must submit to the greater good of the State.
It is understandable, indeed human, that some will be disappointed. Politics, after all, is not a gentle enterprise, and not for the lily livered. Promises are sometimes delayed, expectations sometimes unmet, alliances strained, and sacrifices occasionally left unacknowledged. Some feel sidelined, some feel unheard, and a few feel shortchanged. These emotions are real, and dismissing them would be dishonest. However, the danger lies not in feeling aggrieved, but in allowing grievance to become the compass for collective political decisions..
Ekiti has gone through this route before. There had been moments when personal hurts masqueraded as ideological struggles; when coalitions were hurriedly formed, not around clear programmes, but around shared anger, but history has been consistent in delivering its verdict: coalitions built on resentment rarely survive beyond election day, and political movements driven by bitterness often collapse under the weight of internal contradictions. They start loud, burn fast, and end empty, leaving the State worse off, divided, and forced to start all over again.
Let us be clear and avoid deliberate misunderstanding of myposition: supporting Governor Oyebanji’s second term is not a repudiation of past convictions, nor a betrayal of former loyalties. It is not an erasure of yesterday’s struggles, rather, it is an acknowledgement of today’s reality and a commitment to tomorrow’s stability. Political maturity is the ability to say: “ I may not have gotten everything I wanted, but Ekiti must not suffer because of my disappointment. Governor Oyebanji did not come to office as a conqueror; he came as a stabiliser. His leadership has been largely calm, relatively inclusive, and deliberately non-provocative. In an era where some States are grappling with political tension, labour unrest, policy inconsistency, and governance shocks, Ekiti has enjoyed relative peace, policy continuity, and institutional stability. These are not coincidences; they are the outcomes of a leadership style that values consultation over confrontation, process over jerk boots approach, and long-term impact over short-term applause.
Those urging defection, fragmentation, or emergency coalitions owe Ekiti people honest answers. What is the endgame? Is it governance or grievance management? Is it development or politics of protest? Is it about Ekiti’s future, or personal catharsis Continuity is often misrepresented as stagnation, but the truth is the opposite: continuity is what allows ideas to mature, reforms to crystallise, and investments to yield dividends.Roads are not completed in anger, schools are not improved through political tantrums. Health-care systems do not stabilise under uncertainty, and investors do not commit capital to a state that appears perpetually at war with itself. This moment, therefore, calls for reflections, not reactions. It calls for healing, not escalation. It calls for dialogue, not deviance.
Ekiti people are historically known for wisdom over noise, rational thinking and depth of reasoning over drama, and intellect over impulse. We are a people that prides ourselves on learning from history, not repeating its costliest mistakes. Rallying around Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji for a second term is not about party supremacy or muscle-flexing; it is about protecting stability, consolidating gains, and securing Ekiti’s political and socio-economic future.
You can honour your past convictions and still embrace today’s necessity. You can disagree yesterday and agree today for the sake of Ekiti tomorrow. That is not weakness, but maturity; not compromise, but leadership; it is not surrender, but patriotism.
Let those who are smarting for showdowns sheath their swords; let us heal internal fractures, and let us work for the unity and strength of the APC. Above all, let us place Ekiti above ego, and sentiment above common sense.
Let us rally round BAO and secure continuity come June 26, 2026
Ekiti a gbe wa o. Amin
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Ekiti Must Succeed!
