The All Progressives Congress (APC) has appointed the Leader of the Senate, Opeyemi Bamidele, to lead the re-election campaign for Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji, ahead of the June 18, 2026 governorship election.

The party announced the development on Thursday, unveiling a 57-member high-powered campaign council tasked with driving the governor’s bid for a second term.

Other members of the council include the Chairman of the Ekiti State APC, Mr. Sola Elesin, while the Governor’s Chief of Staff, Mr. Oyeniyi Adebayo, will serve as the Secretary. The council also features several key political figures and stakeholders across the state.

Among them are the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Adeyemi Adaramodu; Chairman of the Senate Committee on Establishment and Public Services, Cyril Fasuyi; Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adeoye Aribasoye; and former Deputy Governor of the state, Biodun Olujimi, among others.

In a statement issued by his Directorate of Media and Public Affairs on Thursday, Bamidele accepted the appointment, describing it as both a rare privilege and a significant responsibility.

He expressed gratitude to the party leadership for entrusting him with the role and pledged to work closely with members of the campaign council, the Ekiti State chapter of the APC, and the party’s national secretariat to ensure the governor’s smooth re-election.

According to Bamidele, the forthcoming governorship election will effectively serve as a referendum on the performance of the Oyebanji administration over the past 40 months.

He noted that under Oyebanji’s leadership, Ekiti State has experienced political cohesion, peace and stability, adding that the governor has demonstrated inclusive and transformative leadership.

Bamidele said the governor’s approach to governance has accommodated the interests of citizens across political and religious divides, stressing that such leadership deserves another term to consolidate ongoing development initiatives.

“Governor Oyebanji has provided transformative leadership that accommodates the interests of all regardless of their political and religious affiliation,” he said.

He added that granting the governor another mandate would allow him to complete several development projects and programmes initiated for the benefit of Ekiti residents.

The June 18 governorship election is expected to test the strength of the APC in Ekiti State as the party seeks to retain control of the state government.

Governor Umaru Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State has thrown his weight behind President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027, declaring that the President “deserves a second term” based on what he described as the positive impact of ongoing economic reforms.

Fintiri, who recently defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), made the remarks on Wednesday during a courtesy visit to the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja. He pledged full loyalty to the ruling party and signalled a firm political realignment ahead of the next general election.

“We have fully aligned at the moment to the APC because it’s a home return for most of us,” Fintiri said. “I am here to pledge my full loyalty to the party and assure the leadership that we have come to work and deliver electoral value in the next general election.”

In a notable endorsement of the Tinubu administration, the governor acknowledged that the President’s economic reforms were initially challenging but insisted they are now producing tangible results.

“Judging by the work done by Mr. President, he deserves a second term,” Fintiri stated. “The microeconomic policies he initiated were rough at first because we were not used to them, but they have yielded very positive results. The country is moving in the right direction, and there is light at the end of the tunnel.”

APC National Chairman Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda used the occasion to project confidence in the party’s prospects for 2027, dismissing claims that Nigerians have turned against the ruling party.

Citing recent by-elections and off-season polls, Yilwatda argued that the APC’s electoral victories contradict narratives of declining popularity.

“Across the country, in by-elections and off-season elections, APC has been winning left, right and center,” he said. “Those same voters are Nigerians, and they have continued to show confidence in the APC and in Mr. President.”

The APC chairman also highlighted efforts to strengthen coordination between the party and the executive arm of government, noting that recent engagements with ministers were aimed at reinforcing the party’s “social contract” with Nigerians.

“We want clear synergy between the party and the executive,” Yilwatda said. “They are implementing the policies and promises we made to Nigerians. Our responsibility is to ensure those commitments are delivered.”

Welcoming Fintiri into the party, Yilwatda described the Adamawa governor as a “political maestro” whose defection represents a strategic gain for the APC, particularly in the North-East.

Taking a swipe at opposition parties, he added that the APC would not be distracted by their internal challenges.

“It is not our duty to organize the opposition,” he said. “Our duty is to present our scorecard to Nigerians and win elections.”

With political alignments already shifting two years ahead of the 2027 general elections, Fintiri’s endorsement underscores growing momentum within the APC as it positions itself to consolidate power and sustain President Tinubu’s Renewal Agenda.

A National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mohammed Kudu Haruna, has defended the commission’s revised timetable for the 2027 general election, insisting that the deadline for political parties to submit comprehensive digital membership registers is achievable.

INEC on Thursday released a revised schedule outlining timelines for party compliance, voter registration and other pre-election activities. The timetable mandates political parties to submit detailed digital membership registers by April 2, 2026 — a requirement that has drawn objections from several parties.

Speaking on Politics Today, a programme on Channels Television, on Friday, Haruna dismissed claims that parties would struggle to meet the deadline.

“I don’t see what the big problem or big issue with membership is. Right now, they are supposed to have had their membership sorted out,” he said. “Every serious party should have no problem collating its membership.”

However, Bolaji Abdullahi, spokesman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), who also appeared on the programme, alleged that amendments to the Electoral Act were part of a strategy by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to manipulate the 2027 elections.

“What I can assure you is that ADC will not be used to legitimise a fraudulent process,” Abdullahi said.

Responding to the criticism, Haruna maintained that INEC is strictly guided by existing laws and has no discretion to reject or alter statutory provisions.

“They are entitled to their opinion. That is the law of the land. INEC doesn’t have the pleasure of rejecting any law. It is guided by what the law is,” he said.

While defending the timetable, the commissioner acknowledged operational challenges facing the commission, particularly funding constraints.

“Of course, we are bothered by it. We need six months now for our money to be released, and a lot of the things we require are not off the shelf,” he said.

Haruna explained that INEC would need to procure additional Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines to replace lost units and produce ballot papers and result sheets. Although the commission previously printed some materials internally, he noted that several raw materials are sourced externally.

“INEC is getting ready, but I can’t tell you that we are ready because we have yet to get the money for the sensitive materials,” he added.

The commissioner also disclosed plans to revalidate the voter register ahead of the polls but expressed concern over low public engagement during periods for objections and corrections.

“We intend to do a revalidation of the voter register, but the main problem is we have a period of publication for objections and so on, and people never get back to us; sometimes it is a kind of self-indictment,” he said.

On whether the 2027 elections would be glitch-free, Haruna was cautious.

“I cannot tell you it will be glitch-free,” he stated.