Oyebanji emerges APC consensus candidate for 2026 Ekiti governorship election

Governor Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti State has officially emerged as the consensus candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2026 governorship election.

Oyebanji’s adoption was affirmed through a voice vote by 885 delegates drawn from the 177 wards across the 16 local government areas of the state. The exercise took place on Monday at the Ekiti State Pavilion in Ado-Ekiti.

Senate Leader Michael Opeyemi Bamidele moved the motion for Oyebanji’s nomination, which was seconded by the Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Adeoye Aribasoye.

With this development, Oyebanji becomes the first sitting APC governor in Ekiti State to secure back-to-back nomination for a second term since the return of democracy in 1999.

Chairman of the APC Affirmation Committee and Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo, said the consensus arrangement reflected the collective decision of party members.

“The adoption of Oyebanji is not an imposition but a collective choice to allow the continuity of good governance in Ekiti State,” Ododo stated.

The APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, had earlier inaugurated an 11-member committee to oversee the affirmation process. The committee was chaired by Governor Ododo and co-chaired by Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo.

In his acceptance speech, Oyebanji thanked President Bola Tinubu, the APC leadership, and party stakeholders for their support, pledging to continue delivering good governance to the people of Ekiti.

He also called for unity among party members, saying: “There is no victor or vanquished. We are all in this together. Let’s work collectively to move Ekiti forward.”