Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, has said there is no credible alternative to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the January 2027 presidential election, stressing that the President’s reforms have boosted the fortunes of the sub-nationals and improved infrastructure across the country, thereby making many states clamour for his re-election for a second term in office.
Oyebanji also said the forthcoming gubernatorial election in Ekiti State would be a celebration of democracy owing to the high level of support he continues to receive from the electorate, adding that the election would only parade opponents without opposition.
Governor Oyebanji stated this in Ado-Ekiti on Wednesday during the launch of the Southwest Agenda for Asiwaju (SWAGA 2.0), a support group for President Bola Tinubu’s second term in office.
The event, which took place at the Eagle Hall, Ado-Ekiti, was witnessed by the Deputy Governor, Chief (Mrs.) Monisade Afuye; former Governor Segun Oni; Chairman of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Senator Dayo Adeyeye, who is the National Chairman of SWAGA; Managing Director of the Federal Housing Authority, Hon. Oyetunde Ojo; and leaders of the group from across the six Southwest states.
Addressing the mammoth crowd at the colourful event, Governor Oyebanji said President Tinubu was fully prepared for governance. This, he said, is reflected in the courageous decisions the President has taken, which have helped reposition the country’s economy and ensured attendant stability.
The Governor, who said he had to shelve his campaign activities scheduled for Wednesday to be part of the event in view of its importance, said Ekiti people are solidly behind the President and would vote massively for his re-election in the January 2027 election.
Stressing that no President in the history of the country has been as fair to Ekiti State as President Tinubu, Governor Oyebanji said that but for the President’s reforms, which freed up funds for the sub-nationals, he would not have been able to achieve much in terms of infrastructure development in the state.
He therefore sought the assistance of the leadership of the group to express appreciation to the President on behalf of Ekiti State.
“Before I go into my short remarks, let me publicly say that I am very grateful to the President. Please thank him on behalf of Ekiti people. And I’m saying this publicly because we are 29 years old as a state, and no President has been this good to us in Ekiti. I’m pleading with you to please help us thank him.
“I’m sure by the time we get to the polls, you will know that we are SWAGA-compliant here. And like our leaders said, the June 20 election in Ekiti State is going to be a celebration of democracy.
“Many people have been asking us, why did you take this thing so seriously? Because the truth of the matter is that we have opponents; we don’t have opposition. There are characters that want to be governor, fantastic, it’s their right, but the aggregate of all those people can’t scratch anything from the party in the state. So, we see them as opponents, but they are not opposition. In spite of that, we have taken this campaign as if our lives and our future depend on it.”
Speaking further, Governor Oyebanji said that the June 20 election in the state has a number of implications, including the August election in Osun State as well as the presidential election in January 2027, which, according to him, will tell people in other regions that the President is a prophet who is valued and honoured at home.
He added that his remarkable performance would also encourage Osun electorates to record a resounding victory.
Earlier, the Chairman of SWAGA, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, said the group came back to the state with the primary purpose of garnering support for Governor Oyebanji in his bid to make remarkable impact in the forthcoming election, as well as mobilise massively for President Tinubu’s second term.
While asserting that the Governor had already won the election, he assured him that the whole machinery of the group would concentrate all its efforts in the state until after the election to ensure that the Governor fulfils the benchmark of at least 500,000 votes, as well as sets a record by winning in all the electoral wards.
Prior to the event, Governor Oyebanji had received the leadership of SWAGA, led by Senator Dayo Adeyeye, on a courtesy visit to the Governor’s office.