How Oyebanji Will Ride On Weak Opposition To Win Ekiti Gov. Election

By Ayodele Oni

All hands are on deck as Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji is set to face challengers from 12 political parties in the June 20, 2026, governorship election.

The election, slated for Saturday is already won, going by activities and assessment of the 13 political parties that are eyeing the Oke Ayoba government House in Ado Ekiti.

For the past few months, the candidates and political parties cleared for the election, have attempted to sell themselves to less than a million voters in the state – what they have in stock, their strength and even their personality to the people.

The people are already charged and ready to exercise their civic duty to elect another governor, that will serve them for another four years. Since its creation, Ekiti state politics has been that of uncertainty and suspense, a situation that has led to defeat of three incumbent governors.

First was Adeniyi Adebayo, the first executive Governor, that lost our to Ayodele Fayose, then Kayode Fayemi was sacrificed for the return of Fayose for second term, while  his bid to install a successor was stalled as Fayemi again returned to the saddle.

Saturday’s election in Ekiti state will be a record breaker as Biodun Oyebanji is set to break the jinx of second term in the state. He will be the first governor to win back to back. His victory at the poll will be due mainly to weak opposition and not as a result of his achievements during the first time. Though, his followers believe that Oyebanji performed, to an ordinary Ekiti man, his administration will go down as one of a deceit and lame duck one.

Talk of security – where he has refused to speak till date on the abduction of 16 worshippers at a CAC Church in Eda Oniyo, over 50 days after, his penchant to dole out state resources to cater for his predecessors in office and failure of his government in the area of infrastructure – all these are there to stop his second term bid, but he will be reaping from crisis within virtually all opposition parties in the country.

One of his predecessors in office, Fayose has helped him to destroy the People’s Democratic Party PDP, one of the parties which used to be formidable in the state. PDP now survive in its past glory. Virtually all other parties contesting in the election rise from the remnants of PDP.

The Independent National Electoral Commission INEC has assured the Electorate that everything has been put in place to ensure a hitch free poll, security agents have made deployments where necessary, with the election hotspots identified by INEC. Non sensitive materials are already on ground with the chairman of INEC Prof Josiah Amupitan relocating temporarily to the state for the poll.

He has held stakeholders’ parley with virtually those that are concerned and recruitment of adhoc staff done. Altogether, the election will be conducted across the state’s 16 local government areas, 177 wards, and 2,445 polling units, with 13 political parties expected to participate.

The election may however witness a low turnout of voters and this may likely be caused by insecurity. Since the abduction incident in Eda Oniyo, residents of the state have been cautious about their movement in order not to fall prey. Security Agents will have hectic time to check vote buying as politicians will capitalize on the harsh economic situation to buy Electorate conscience.

There have been reported cases of presence of suspected bandits in some communities in the state, which has been denied by the state police command. Even with the assurance people may spend Saturday relaxing in their homes.

INEC may likely turn in results of the election within 24 hours as there is no known difficult terrain in Ekiti state.

Among political parties  that are contesting include People’s Democratic Party, (PDP), All Progressive Congress, ( APC), Action Democratic Congress, (ADC), Labour Party, (LP), Young Progressive Party,(YPP) and Accord Party,(AP).

Others are African Action Congress, (AAC), Social Democratic Party,(SDP) and People’s Redemption Party,(PRP) and Zenith Labour Party ZLP.

Those that can be regarded as serious contenders include Dare Bejide, ADC; Opeyemi Falegan, Accord Party and Dr Oluyede of the PDP. However, their victory may be restricted by leadership crisis in their parties.