The battle for the 2026 Ekiti governorship seat has officially ignited as All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Engineer Kayode Ojo, picked up his party’s nomination form at the APC national secretariat in Abuja.
Ojo, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Governing Council of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, fired a direct shot at Governor Biodun Oyebanji, accusing his administration of running Ekiti State “aground” and vowing to launch a “Rescue Mission” to save the people.
“This is more than a contest for the ticket of our party; it is the launch of the Ekiti State Rescue Mission. Ekiti is bleeding,” Ojo declared through his campaign team, who stormed Abuja to collect the form on his behalf.
The APC primary is slated for October 27, but Ojo’s dramatic entry has already rattled the political establishment. His camp accused Oyebanji of sidelining loyal APC members, handing plum appointments to opposition figures, and “wasting billions” on what it described as “endorsement jamborees” instead of addressing critical infrastructure decay.
Kolawole Adefemi, pioneer Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly and a key member of Ojo’s team, alleged that over 100 political positions had been given to opposition members, creating deep resentment across the state.
“Leadership is about action, not excuses. Ekiti people deserve a governor who takes responsibility, not one who shifts blame,” the campaign council said in a blistering attack.
Ojo also rolled out a bold blueprint for Ekiti’s future, promising massive investment in human capital development, agricultural transformation, tourism, infrastructure renewal, and local government autonomy. A centrepiece of his vision is a proposed super-highway linking Ekiti directly to the Lekki seaports, which he described as a “game-changer” for trade and industrialisation.
The Ikoro-Ekiti-born politician, widely regarded as a brilliant strategist and formidable force in state politics, is positioning himself as the candidate to watch. His supporters insist he is the man to succeed Governor Oyebanji and “restore confidence” in Ekiti’s leadership.
With Ojo’s declaration, the stage is set for a fierce showdown in Ekiti’s political arena, as the countdown to October 27 begins.