The entire workforce in Ekiti State, under the aegis of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and secondary school teachers in the state, under the auspices of the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS), have adopted Governor Biodun Oyebanji as their preferred candidate in the June 20 governorship election.

The workers’ body and the teachers’ union said their decision was based on improved workers’ welfare and general conditions of service under the administration of Oyebanji in nearly four years in office.

The unions pledged to mobilise their families, colleagues, friends, dependants, fellow worshippers, neighbours and their communities to vote for the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate at the forthcoming polls.

The state NLC Chairman, Kolapo Olatunde, said all the 35 affiliate unions had resolved and adopted Oyebanji as their preferred candidate and would work in favour of his re-election because of the belief that workers’ welfare package would be consolidated during his second term.

Olatunde said Oyebanji had employed more workers into the state workforce and made available several benefits, including appointment of workers into prestigious positions, regular payment of salaries, pensions and gratuities, payment of arrears, approval of leave bonuses, donation of buses to unions, free bus service for workers, among other benefits.

The ASUSS Chairman, Olusola Adigun, at the parley with the governor at their state secretariat, said Oyebanji had delivered and fulfilled all promises made to the union, hence the desire of his members to reward him with massive votes during the June 20 governorship election.

Adigun, who also doubles as the National President of ASUSS, said Oyebanji needs a vote tally that is above 500,000, which explains why the union has raised a group known as BAO Grassroots Coordinators to galvanise support for the governor in the grassroots.

The ASUSS boss said secondary school teachers in the state are grateful to Oyebanji for being the most responsive and the best teacher-friendly leader in the state’s history.

However, Oyebanji, who appreciated the workers and teachers for their tremendous support, said the good relationship built with workers, giving them listening ears, according priority to their welfare and making efforts to boost their standards of living, are reasons why there has been no industrial action under his watch.

He said his relationship with workers would always get better.

Also, Senate Leader and Chairman of the Oyebanji Re-election Campaign Council, Opeyemi Bamidele, canvassed the support of NLC and ASUSS for Oyebanji’s re-election, which he noted would deliver a better welfare package for them.