‘Endorsements Won’t Guarantee Oyebanji’s Re-election in 2026’

A former Commissioner for Water Resources under former Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, , Chief Segun Akinwumi, has said that the recent endorsements by some former governors and elites will not guarantee reelection of Governor  Abiodun Oyebanji in 2026.

Akinwumi,   who was a three-time commissioner and now a chieftain of African Democratic Congress (ADC), stated this in a telephone chat with the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) while reacting to the recent endorsements of the governor for a second term and its potential impacts on the state.

The former Commissioner for Lands and Housing highlighted the complexities and challenges involved in the state’s political landscape, noting that the endorsements did not emanate from the masses of Ekiti people

He said: “The masses are disappointed and not happy with the current administration in the state. The so-called endorsements have been coming from former governors and their allies.

“These are sets of people who have been benefiting from sharing of largesse from the centre, with no benefits to the people of the state under the current administration.

“The news of the governor’s endorsements should be seen as noise of town criers that cannot translate into second term victory because the state still faces significant challenges with its roads and other critical infrastructure.”

Akinwumi  explained that  little construction work on the circular road project in outer Ekiti city should not be seen as a major achievement, due to the poor state of roads and other infrastructures in many cities across the state.

He described it as wasteful, unfortunate and unacceptable, the billions of Naira spent to hire crowd from Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Kogi and Kwara States among others apart from over millions of  Naira on, charttered private jets, live coverage on TV and other publicity on the endorsement of Gov. Oyebanji. The bogus expenditures on the endorsement also include huge expenses on branded shirts, aso ebi and entertainment.

“The latest endorsement has again proved to Ekiti people and Nigerians as a whole that, the governor has no interest of the masses at heart but rather want to continue to share the State resources among the Elites especially the former governors at the expense of the masses.

“You can see that Governor Oyebanji cannot even invite President Tinubu to Ekiti State for inauguration  of any project since inception about three years despite huge allocations from the centre but our former governors are busy endorsing same person to continue for a second term in office, so unfortunate and appalling.”

 Akinwumi said that Ekiti people will do all it takes to wrestle power from the current administration in the state following the failure of  current governor  to deliver any meaningful project in the state.

“Notable politicians, retired civil servants and other influential sons and daughters of the state with credible track records all shared the same opinion and are  clamouring for a change of the leadership for a better alternative for Ekiti people come 2026,” he said.

He noted  Ekiti people can no longer wait for the needed change in the state, to pave the way for the emergence of leadership who understood Ekiti politics and development of the 21st century.

“A bad government is a bad government, whether it is being supported by the federal government or from the international community.

“No government in Ekiti has ever won two terms at its best. You come first, you go away, and you come back if you are lucky enough to get it,” Akinwumi said.

 Akinwumi was, at various times, Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Education and Water Resources as well as a full-time member of the Governing Council of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA).