As Ekiti State gears up for the June 20 governorship election, non partisan residents including the People With Disabilities (PWDs) are throwing their weight behind Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s bid for re-election, reports Ayodele Afolabi

In a total departure from the norms, the non partisan residents of Ekiti State seems to be at the forefront of those championing that Governor Biodun Oyebanji should be voted for a second term in office, insisting that the governor’s impressive track record on infrastructural development, social investment, healthcare, agriculture, and education has earned him widespread support across the state.

These residents who are mostly non-elites have willingly taken ownership of the campaign by openly campaigning for the governor. To them unlike the previous administrations projects execution were results of imputs from town hall meetings held to collate the needs of the people.

While admitting that the governor is not perfect, they expressed concern that experimenting with another candidate could truncate the ongoing projects and set the state backward.

During a three-day tour of completed projects, journalists witnessed firsthand the transformative impact of Oyebanji’s policies on the lives of Ekiti residents. The projects visited included the Ekiti cargo Airport, several intra-state roads, the Skill Acquisition Centre for Persons With Disabilities, and the 80-bed hospital complex at the Ekiti State Teaching Hospital, among others.

Speaking on behalf of PWDs, Alhaja Folasade Ademola and Olorufemi Ogunsakin expressed gratitude for the governor’s initiative, which has empowered them with vocational skills and a monthly stipend. “We are no longer living on charity,” they said, pledging their support for Oyebanji’s re-election bid.

Residents from various communities also lauded the governor’s efforts, citing improved road networks, healthcare facilities, and agricultural initiatives. Mr. Bayo Olanipekun, a farmer, praised the reconstruction of the Ise-Agbado road, which had been abandoned for years. Ojo Adeleye, a taxi driver, noted that the improved road network has reduced travel time, making it easier for motorists to access neighboring communities.

The governor’s commitment to people-centric policies and tangible projects has won over many Ekiti residents, who are eager to see him continue his good work. As the election approaches, Oyebanji’s popularity shows no signs of waning, with residents and PWDs rallying behind his candidacy.

With several key projects nearing completion, including the 1.2km Okeyinmi-Ijigbo flyover bridge and the 80-bed hospital complex, Oyebanji’s re-election bid looks set to receive a significant boost. The governor’s focus on inclusive development and empowerment has made a tangible difference in the lives of Ekiti residents, earning him the trust and support of the people.

In another development, a delegation of prominent Nollywood actors and actresses has thrown their support behind Oyebanji’s re-election bid, citing his government’s impressive track record on development and people-centric policies.

Led by Yomi Fash-lanso, the delegation, which included Wumi Ajiboye, Baba Tee, Adeniyi Johnson, Dayo Amusa, and Doyin Kukoyi, among others, recently embarked on a tour of key government projects across Ekiti State.

The team visited several projects, including the Ekiti cargo Airport, the 1.2km Okeyinmi-Ijigbo flyover bridge, and the Skill Acquisition Centre for Persons With Disabilities, among others. They were impressed by the government’s efforts in road infrastructure, healthcare, agriculture, social investment, and tourism.

Speaking at the end of the tour, Faslansho commended Governor Oyebanji for his “giant strides” in various sectors, saying the positive rating was based on what they saw on the ground. “The tour revealed a picture of developmental governance in Ekiti state different from what is being portrayed on social media,” he said.

Fash-lanso noted that the projects inspected were clear indicators of a government that prioritizes development and the welfare of its people. He particularly commended the spread of projects across the 16 local government areas, describing it as a deliberate effort to ensure that both urban and rural communities benefit from good governance.

The Nollywood stars urged Ekiti residents to sustain their support for Governor Oyebanji, expressing confidence that continuity of his administration would consolidate ongoing projects and further accelerate development across the state.

They also urged the governor not to relent on the provision of infrastructure when he secures his second term in office, saying doing so would amount to a betrayal of trust reposed in him by the people.

The endorsement is seen as a significant boost to Oyebanji’s re-election bid, coming as it does from influential voices in the entertainment industry. With the June 20 governorship election fast approaching, the governor seems to be getting more endorsement from opinion moulders who could help influence voting pattern especially for undecided voters.

Also, contrary to the perception of some critics that the Ekiti International Cargo Airport is a white elephant project that merely designed to drain the resources of the state, finding revealed an airport that is doing well within three months of the takeoff.

Speaking on the activities of the new airport, the Commercial Manager Mr Olawale Odoko said that airport commenced commercial flights on December 10, 2025, and “from that time up until this moment, both inbound and outbound flights, we’ve had up to 4,000 passengers fly through this International Airport.”

On the alleged cancellation of schedule flights narrative, Odoko insisted that the airport only had a history of cancellation once, and ever since then it has not happened. “Ever since then, we’ve been flying. We’ve not had any cancellation again. We fly Mondays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays and these flight days, we keep the time. If we have to delay, they always announce delay, you know, ahead of time. So I think so far we’ve been very, very consistent with our flight time.

“But apart from United Airlines, there are others that are coming.
About three weeks ago, we had Overland Airways. They were here to inspect the facility, you know, and they were so satisfied with what they saw. And according to them, they said this month, April 26th, they want to join the airport.”

According to him, through private jet landings, Passenger Service Charges (PSC), car hire services, airport retail outlets, office space leasing, guided airport tours, and other revenue streams, the management had generated over N100 million in three months.

However the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the June 20, 2026 election, Dr Wole Oluyede has said that Governor Biodun Oyebanji has no business returning as the governor of the state for second term due to alleged poor performance in his first term.

Oluyede said that the state hasn’t fair better than it was before the incumbent governor assumed office in October 2022, saying that there is no need for him to repeat “a class he has failed.”

“Ekiti is not doing better than it was three years ago or four years ago the only reason why Oyebanji will want to come back to this class he failed and he’s going to repeat it. We are not looking for a failure at this time.

“We are looking for somebody that will succeed. I am very sure that Oyebanji has no business being the governor of the state come 2026.

“For the past three years running to four years now that he has been in office, you can see the only thing we have as a record is that of the bridge and I am aware that the tallest bridge in india, in china was constructed under four months and we have been battling with less than one kilometer bridge for more than three years and this person has temerity to come out and campaign.”

But dismissing Oluyede claims of non performance leveled against Oyebanji, the candidate of the PDP,  the All Progressives Congress (APC) described Oluyede as lacking proper knowledge of the state because he is a stranger.

Speaking to the Guardian on telephone, the Ekiti State Publicity Secretary of APC, Mr Segun Dipe said that the PDP candidate can’t be taken seriously because he doesn’t understand the Ekiti terrain.

“Of course, he’s a stranger in Ekiti, so he wouldn’t know what is going on in Ekiti. He’s a going and coming person. So we don’t reckon with him. He doesn’t even understand the terrain, so we cannot take him seriously.

“I  think he’s just shopping for parties to gain relevance. He has contested like in four or five parties. So he can’t determine what Ekiti people want when he doesn’t stay in Ekiti. He should go where he stays and start dictating to them, not in Ekiti.

“In Ekiti, the general consensus is that Oyebanji has done very well. The general consensus is that Oyebanji deserves a second term. The general consensus is that Oyebanji is everybody’s man. He has empathy. He governs with human face.”