Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, was on Friday sworn in for a second four-year term, becoming the first governor in the state’s history to secure consecutive terms since its creation in 1996.
Oyebanji took the oath of office at the Ekiti Parapo Pavilion in Ado-Ekiti, with the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Lekan Ogunmoye, administering the oath.
His deputy, Monisade Afuye, was also sworn in for a second term, following their re-election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress in the June 20 governorship election.
According to reports published on Friday by Premium Times and Voice of Nigeria, Oyebanji polled 319,224 votes to defeat his closest challenger, Oluwole Oluyede of the Peoples Democratic Party, who secured 40,543 votes.
Vice President Kashim Shettima represented President Bola Tinubu at the inauguration.
Shettima arrived in Ado-Ekiti ahead of the ceremony and was received at the Ekiti Agro-Allied International Cargo Airport by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, Oyebanji and other government officials.
The event attracted governors, members of the National Assembly, former governors and other political leaders, including the APC National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda; former Ondo State Governor, Olusegun Mimiko; and governors from Kwara, Imo, Sokoto, Kebbi, Ondo and Jigawa states.
Oyebanji Outlines Second-Term Priorities
In his inaugural address, Oyebanji pledged to focus on job creation, agriculture, electricity, skills development and infrastructure, saying the success of his administration would be measured by its impact on the livelihoods of residents.
“The measure of our second term will be how much of investment we have made improve the lives of our people,” he said, according to Channels Television’s report on Friday.
The governor said public spending and infrastructure projects must translate into tangible benefits for households, farmers, artisans, entrepreneurs and young people.
He acknowledged the economic pressures facing families, including the rising costs of food, transportation and education, and said government policies should provide practical relief while expanding economic opportunities.
Oyebanji also pledged to strengthen the link between education, practical skills and employment, stressing that schools should prepare young people for the demands of a changing economy.
“In this second term, we will connect education more closely to enterprise, practical skills, and the need of a changing economy,” he said.
On agriculture, the governor promised to improve productivity and develop the sector’s value chain through better processing, storage, packaging, transportation and marketing.
He said the government would pursue investments in farm clusters, processing facilities, electricity, water supply and access to capital to help farmers earn more from their produce.
“When agriculture prospers, the benefit travels from the farm to the market, from the market to the workshop, and from the workshop to the family home,” Oyebanji said.
He added that his administration would work to ensure that development reaches communities beyond Ado-Ekiti, including towns, villages and farm settlements.
The governor also promised continued attention to public services, including schools, healthcare facilities, community safety and the prompt payment of workers and pensioners.
Tinubu Charges Governor on Service
President Tinubu, represented by Shettima, congratulated Oyebanji on his re-election and urged him to consolidate the achievements of his first term while placing the interests of Ekiti residents at the centre of governance.
According to Premium Times, the President said the governor’s renewed mandate came with greater responsibility to deliver results for the people.
“The next four years demand a generosity of spirit that enables this victory, and a greater willingness to place Ekiti above the current of the moment,” Tinubu said in his message.
The President also urged Oyebanji to sustain the administration’s focus on development and public service.
Oyebanji’s second term formally began on Friday, October 16, four years after he was first inaugurated in 2022. His tenure is expected to run until 2030.
