APC group rejects deputy gov’s nomination
Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has announced the dissolution of the State Executive Council with immediate effect.

The announcement was contained in a statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof. Habitat Adubiaro, and made available yesterday to newsmen in Ado-Ekiti.

Recall that the governor had, at a retreat for the commissioners, said he planned to assess their performance every six months, based on their ability to implement the administration’s development agenda.

Oyebanji had said the assessment would determine their continued stay in office, as he vowed that a poor rating would not be tolerated, informing cabinet members to sign a performance bond.

However, it is unclear at press time if the cabinet dissolution was on account of the assessment.

Adubiaro advised the affected commissioners and special advisers to hand over to the Permanent Secretary or the most senior civil servant in their respective MDAs.

This is even as members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, under the aegis of Concerned APC Patriots (CAP), have rejected the nomination of the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Monisade Afuye, as running mate to the governor for the 2026 gubernatorial election.

The group, in a statement yesterday in Ado-Ekiti, signed by its convener, Mr Joshua Ademola, said Afuye’s nomination was like putting a square peg in a round hole because she allegedly lacked the capacity to hold the office.

They noted that most, if not all, the critical functions that should be performed by the deputy in the absence of the governor, including representing Oyebanji at the various meetings in Abuja, were either delegated to other officers of government or left unattended.

They claimed: “We are of the view that in a state renowned for being one that parades the most educated people, it has become embarrassing that someone whose educational qualifications are questionable is being paraded as the deputy governor.

“We believe that Afuye’s current election as deputy governor was a mistake which should not be allowed to repeat itself by making sure a more educated and capable individual is nominated to replace her.”

Reacting to the group’s demand through telephone, the ruling party, through the State Publicity Secretary, Segun Dipe, maintained that it is the prerogative of the governor to nominate his deputy.