Former Governor of Ekiti State, Otunba Niyi Adebayo, has pledged to lead the re-election campaign of Governor Biodun Oyebanji ahead of the 2026 governorship election, citing the incumbent’s impressive performance and commitment to the people.
Adebayo, who governed Ekiti between 1999 and 2003, made the pledge on Friday in Ikole Ekiti while commissioning the 20-kilometre Ikole–Ara–Isinbode road constructed by the Oyebanji administration. The project is among several commissioned to commemorate the governor’s third year in office.
The former Minister of Trade, Industry and Investment clarified that his decision was not politically motivated, but rather a recognition of Oyebanji’s “superlative exploits in all sectors,” including infrastructure, healthcare, agriculture, and human capital development.
“I will be at the forefront of your 2026 campaign because you have not disappointed us,” Adebayo declared, adding that he was particularly moved by the road project, which he had been unable to complete during his tenure due to financial constraints.
He praised Oyebanji for his loyalty and long-standing support, recalling their political journey since 1998 when Oyebanji was one of his earliest allies. “When I lost my re-election in 2003, he stood by me, and our relationship has remained strong till today,” he said.
Governor Oyebanji, in his remarks, said the project held sentimental value as it addressed one of Adebayo’s unfulfilled dreams. “The inability of Otunba Niyi Adebayo to reconstruct this road then was the reason I committed resources to complete it,” Oyebanji noted, adding that the project’s durability would be ensured through proper road use and maintenance measures.
He further listed ongoing efforts in Ikole Local Government, including road networks, extended electricity supply, and the upgrading of the state specialist hospital to a Federal Medical Centre.
To ensure durability, Oyebanji said: “We are going to put barricades on this road to prevent unnecessary pressure. I plead with you, don’t make bonfires on any of our roads, they will get damaged if you do that.
“It is our collective responsibility to preserve the road. Besides these road infrastructures, we have extended electricity to Ikole Local Government and upgraded your state specialist hospital to a Federal Medical Centre. I have connected Ikole Ekiti to Igbemo through road and this has been done and completed.
Commissioner for Works, Sola Adebayo, emphasised the road’s importance to rural development, trade, and security, while the project’s contractor, Folorunso Omoya of Dromo International Company Limited, commended the governor for engaging local firms, saying it encouraged diligence and quality delivery.
Traditional rulers, including the Elekole of Ikole Ekiti, Oba Ajibade Fasiku; the Alara of Ara Ekiti, Oba Samuel Fatoba; and the Onisin of Isinbode, Oba Akinyemi Adesoji, jointly hailed the project as transformative, describing the once-impossible road as now the best in Ekiti.
Melissa Enoch
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