By Reportcircle – Abuja
The battle for the 2026 governorship election in Ekiti State took a dramatic turn on Tuesday as frontline aspirant, Engr. Kayode Ojo, officially picked his Nomination and Expression of Interest Forms at the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Secretariat, Abuja.
Ojo, who is the Pro-Chancellor, University of Nigeria (UNN) Nsukka, backed by some key party stakeholders, accused Governor Biodun Oyebanji of “sinking the APC” through neglect of loyal members, sidelining of legislators, and blind allegiance to political godfathers.
Addressing journalists shortly after the form collection led by Hon. Kolawole Adefemi, pioneer Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, warned that unless urgent steps are taken, the APC risks implosion ahead of the October 27, 2025 primary election and the 2026 off-season governorship polls.
“This is more than a contest for a ticket, it is a rescue mission for Ekiti State and for the soul of our party,”
Adefemi declared, presenting Ojo as the candidate capable of restoring party cohesion and delivering development.
Ojo’s camp accused Governor Oyebanji of systematically dismantling the APC structure that brought him to power. Grassroots leaders, youth mobilisers, and ward executives, they alleged, have been abandoned, while more than 100 political appointments were handed to members of opposition parties.
The group further alleged that verified APC membership figures in the state have mysteriously dropped from 186,000 to 114,000 under Oyebanji’s watch, describing it as a deliberate move to weaken the party base.
Beyond party politics, Ojo’s supporters attacked Oyebanji’s record in office, dismissing what they called “elite reconciliation” among former governors as irrelevant to ordinary citizens.
“What Ekiti people want are roads that don’t collapse, schools that work, hospitals that heal, and policies that uplift, not jamborees and endorsements funded with billions of naira,” Ojo’s team charged.
They also criticised the governor’s handling of federal roads, accusing him of “blaming Abuja while failing to act,” contrasting his approach with Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun, who invested heavily in rehabilitating federal roads despite similar constraints.
Presenting himself as the alternative, Ojo unveiled a development vision centred on human capital growth, agribusiness, tourism, infrastructure expansion, and security reforms.
Transforming agriculture from subsistence to agribusiness through value-chain development.
Unlocking Ekiti’s cultural and natural assets to boost tourism.
Aggressively pursuing infrastructure upgrades, including a proposed super-highway linking Ekiti to coastal seaports in Lekki, positioning the state as a logistics hub.
Guaranteeing full local government autonomy in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Ojo’s camp said his track record as a business leader and as Pro-Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, where he helped restore stability during a leadership crisis proved his capacity to lead.
A Party at Crossroads
With defections and resignations reportedly mounting within the APC in Ekiti, the governorship primary is shaping into a referendum on Oyebanji’s leadership.
“The choice before us is clear,” Adefemi concluded. “Continue on a path of godfather-driven politics that weakens our party, or embrace a future of inclusive leadership under Kayode Ojo that restores hope to Ekiti.”
In her weight support speech to the endorsement of Kayode Ojo, Mrs. Monica Adesola Olajuyigbe, daughter of the late Colonel Adekunle Fajuyi, Nigeria’s first military governor of the old Western Region, publicly declared support for Ojo.
“Just as my father lived and died for principles greater than self, Engr. Ojo represents integrity, loyalty, and people-first leadership. Ekiti deserves no less,” she said.
She expressed confidence that Ojo would clinch the APC governorship ticket during the party’s primary schedule for October 27, 2025, setting the stage for what promises to be a fierce battle in the 2026 elections.
