Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has described his landslide re-election victory as a reflection of the confidence Nigerians have in the leadership and economic reforms of President Bola Tinubu.
The governor, who secured a second term in office after Saturday’s governorship election, said the outcome of the poll was not only an endorsement of his administration’s performance in Ekiti State but also a vote of confidence in the President’s policies at the national level.
Speaking with journalists during a press briefing on Sunday, Oyebanji said the achievements recorded by his administration over the past four years were made possible by reforms introduced by the Federal Government, which increased the resources available to state governments.
“As far as I’m concerned, what happened yesterday is the validation of our performance by Ekiti people, but not only Ekiti State,” Oyebanji said.
“It is a vote of confidence in the President, because whatever we have done in the last four years in Ekiti State, after God, Mr President takes the glory, because he provides the resources for us to work.”
The governor argued that sub-national governments cannot effectively deliver development without adequate support and financial capacity from the Federal Government.
According to him, President Tinubu’s economic reforms helped free up funds that enabled state governments to undertake projects and programs that directly impacted the lives of their people.
“Without those reforms that have freed resources to the sub-nationals, there’s no way I would have been able to do all those things that endeared our party to the people,” he stated.
Oyebanji’s comments came shortly after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officially declared him winner of the Ekiti governorship election.
The governor, who contested on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), polled 319,224 votes to defeat his closest rivals.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Olumayokun Oluyede, came a distant second with 40,533 votes, while Dare Bejide of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) secured 12,872 votes.
The wide margin of victory underscored the dominance of the APC in the state and strengthened Oyebanji’s political standing ahead of his second term.
Beyond the electoral figures, the governor highlighted what he described as a major turning point in Ekiti’s political history.
He noted that, for the first time since the creation of the state, all former governors rallied behind a single political party and candidate during a governorship election.
“In the history of this state, this is the first time that all former governors will line up behind a political party, behind a candidate. It has never happened,” Oyebanji said.
Ekiti State has witnessed intense political rivalries in previous elections, often marked by bitter divisions among influential political figures.
However, this year’s governorship race was largely free of the tensions and hostility that had accompanied some past contests.
The governor also praised political parties, security agencies, electoral officials and residents for ensuring a peaceful process from the campaign period to the conclusion of the election.
“This is the first time that we have run an election campaign for more than three months and no single incident of violence,” he said.
The absence of violence during the campaigns and election day has attracted commendation from various stakeholders, who described it as a positive development for democracy in the state.
Many residents also expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the exercise, noting that peace and maturity among political actors contributed to the credibility of the poll.
Oyebanji’s victory marks another milestone in Ekiti politics, as he becomes the first governor in the state’s history to secure back-to-back re-election victories.
His first term in office was built around programs targeting infrastructure development, agriculture, healthcare, education, youth empowerment and rural development.
Supporters of the governor argue that these initiatives helped improve public confidence in his administration and influenced voters to grant him another mandate.
At the national level, Tinubu’s economic reforms have remained a subject of intense public debate.
Since assuming office, the President has implemented policies aimed at restructuring the economy, including measures that altered the country’s subsidy regime and fiscal arrangements. While supporters argue that the reforms have increased revenue available to state governments and laid the foundation for long-term growth, critics maintain that they have also contributed to rising living costs and economic hardship for many Nigerians.
Against this backdrop, Oyebanji’s remarks are likely to fuel further political discussions over whether recent electoral outcomes should be interpreted as endorsements of the Federal Government’s policies.
For the APC, however, the Ekiti result represents both a reward for the governor’s performance and a boost for the party ahead of future elections.
As celebrations continue across the state, attention is now shifting to Oyebanji’s second term and the expectations of residents who have once again entrusted him with the responsibility of leading Ekiti State.