The governor made this declaration at the All Progressives Congress (APC) national secretariat in Abuja, where he formally submitted his Nomination and Expression of Interest forms for the 2026 governorship election.
Spark News Naija reports that Governor Oyebanji shutdown the Party’s secretariat on Wednesday, with a big party which saw the political gladiators in Ekiti State and a large crowd of his supporters in attendance.
Among the political gladiators was the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele; and the Senate Spokesperson, Yemi Adaramodu; the six Honourable members of the House of Representatives; top government officials and party leaders.
Briefing journalists thereafter, the Governor lamented that since Ekiti State’s creation, no governor has served two consecutive terms, attributing this pattern to retarded development in the state.
“They will go, they will come back. And this has hit us on the canvas. It has retarded the development of the state,” Oyebanji stated, emphasizing his re-election bid aims to consolidate his administration’s gains and sustain the state’s development trajectory.
“If the people have chosen to come in this number, to plead with you, to help us remove this reproach from us as a state, we see it as a jinx that must be broken. We see it as a reproach that has retarded our growth as a state. We don’t want current gains to be reversed.
“The only thing that is standing against Ekiti people and development is this come-and-go attitude of governors. You know, it’s not in our best interest as a people. And by the same grace of God, I have a divine mandate to break that jinx. And that jinx will be broken because God sent us for this purpose”, he said.
The Governor expressed absolute confidence in the ability of national leadership to conduct a free and fair primary.
Continuing, he said, “We will subject ourselves to a primary election. We will play by the rules. And we assure you that you have seen it. The APC as a party also has a duty to exert discipline on its members. We also recognize the rights of anybody, a loyal party member, who is qualified to contest”.
Senator Bamidele who accompanied the Governor while addressing the press at the APC Media Centre, expressed confidence in Oyebanji’s re-election bid, highlighting the governor’s overwhelming support across party structures.
Bamidele noted that all 26 members of the state assembly, local government chairmen, and party chairmen were present, underscoring the strong backing Oyebanji is having.
Spark News Naija reports that the APC governorship primary in Ekiti is scheduled for October 27, 2025.