“….Having done all things to stand, stand therefore….” – Ephesian 6:13-14.
This powerful biblical phrase that speaks to the place of preparations and steadfastness in the midst of a challenge or contest readily comes to mind as the people of Ekiti State go to the poll this Saturday, June 20, 2026 to elect their Governor. Ekiti State, being one of the states with off-cycle elections in Nigeria, has been awash with electioneering activities in the past few months, as about a dozen gladiators are jostling for the Oke Ayoba Governorship seat, currently occupied by Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji (BAO).
Talking about preparations for the contest, and by extension preparations for governance, it has been a case of different stokes for different folks. While a few have clearly defined roadmap guiding each stage of the electioneering activities, for many, the plan is haphazard. For some, it is more of content creation, and for some, it has become more or less a ritual that must be performed every four years to appease their insatiable ego.
Expectedly, the electioneering in the past few months have been a potpourri of the good, the bad and the absurd. One of the candidates took it to a ridiculous extent last week when he said he would relocate the newly commissioned zonal office of the Financial and Economic Crimes Commission (EFCC) from the state. Such is the kind of thing one hears in this season.
Interestingly, while the incumbent Governor Biodun Oyebanji has lived up to his promise of ensuring an issue-based campaign in an atmosphere of peace and tranquility, he has become the main issue as the dominant talking points in the campaign season centre around him. Again, the questions are as diverse as they can be: will BAO put up another superlative performance if he wins a second term of office? That appears to be the most asked question. The second is whether or not his second term will be as inclusive and people-centred as the first.
Oyebanji has provided what many believe as an honest answer to this. He believes political power belongs to the people, who then entrust it to an individual or group to exercise on their behalf. The Governor says he is not only accountable to the people, to whom political power belongs, but also accountable to God, to whom all powers belong. In specific term, while he seems satisfied that he has delivered on his 2022 electoral promises through a thorough implementation of his strategic six-pillar development agenda, he is quick to point out that education and agriculture will be accorded topmost priority in the second term, stressing that a lot more still needed to be done to place education in its rightful position.
So, while others are coming up with ideas on what to do better than BAO, BAO is counting on the impactful outcomes of his first term as evidence of his ability to do more in the second term. His inclusive governance has allowed every shade of opinion and political tendency have a say in governance. His ability to make his administration an open book- readily available and easy to comprehend – to the public through quarterly stakeholders engagement, annual budget town hall meetings and daily on the state website as well as his accessibility as a leader has earned him the trust of the people with tangible outcomes. Thus, Saturday’s election looks more like a referendum on BAO’s performance.
Commentators on Ekiti development under Oyebanji administration can write many headlines with focus on his massive investment in road and power infrastructure culminating in the construction of about 288 kilometers of intra city and inter-city roads all fitted with streetlights; and ongoing 1,000 kilometers of rural (farm to market) road projects being done in collaboration with the World Bank, and the fact that no fewer than 50 communities hitherto without power supply have been reconnected to the national grid. They can write about the 6,000 youths that were drafted into agriculture with sundry supports including, high yielding seedlings, free land clearing, agricultural extension services, well-equipped farm hostels, security and guaranteed market for their produce, leading to over N1 billion posted as profits by these young farmers in the last farming season.
They also write and talk about the comprehensive renovation of about 110 primary health care centres and all general hospitals in the state fitted with state-of-the-art equipment, drugs and well-motivated personnel. They also write about the comprehensive renovation of 203 secondary schools and 905 primary schools as well as payment of WAEC and JAMB fees for students. They write and they are witnesses to the fact that Ekiti State is the first state in Nigeria to employ therapists in the public special schools and first to establish multi-sensory and therapy rooms in the public special schools- just to ensure every child has access to qualitative education.
These headlines, quite interestingly, come with tangible outcomes. Under Oyebanji’s watch, Ekiti has emerged top in some development indices.
These include: First position in the BudgIT State Fiscal Transparency League (Q2, Q3, 2024 and Q1, Q2, Q3 and Q4 2025); ranked first in the PSLI Subnational Audit Efficacy Index (2023); ranked fourth in the Subnational Climate Governance Performance (2023); First in the Annual Growth Rate of IGR (2023); Best State in Sustainable Urban and Rural Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (SURWASH) Programme (2022). Under his watch, Ekiti State was also ranked as the state with the second lowest out of school children in Nigeria. Consistently the State has ranked as one of the states with the lowest food inflation by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
Also, the State has reduced neonatal mortality by 57 percent from 42 per 1000 in 2019 to 18 per 1000 in 2024; reduced infant mortality by 53 percent from 57 per 1000 in 2010 to 27 per 1000 in 2024; reduced under five mortality by 54 percent from 95 per 1000 in 2019 to 44 per 1000 in 2024. Ekiti is also rated by the Enough-is-Enough (EiE) as the State with the lowest Media reported killing for Q2 2025.
Additionally, the BAO administration is well rated in the area of education and human capital development. It has, within the last three and a half years, completed comprehensive renovation of 205 secondary schools (including three special schools) and 950 primary schools across the State. Workers and teachers are well motivated with improved working conditions and a very conducive work place. The result reflects a higher standard of education and better outcomes in public examinations. These are no longer headlines, they are tangible outcomes- results of strategically planned pro-people policies, programmes and projects that bring better life to the people focusing on welfare, wellbeing and shared prosperity.
That is the BAO effect. That is BAO’s three and a half years preparations. That is the reason over 380 groups and associations have, at different times and locations, publicly endorsed his candidacy in the past 12 months. That is the record none of the gladiators can match or controvert. And having done everything to stand, BAO is standing tall on the shoulders of giants – critical stakeholders – and sitting pretty well in the hearts of the people- the masses.
Having done all things to win, winning on Saturday seems assured. And like Tunji Ayoola, an Omuo Ekiti resident wrote in an article published in The Nation newspaper, June 14, 2026 edition, congratulations are in order for BAO: the Best Available Option!
. Oyebode writes from Ado-Ekiti.
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