Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji has said the state will intensify its political mobilisation for President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election, linking the planned support to federal appointments and infrastructure projects he said have benefited the state.
Oyebanji made the declaration on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, at a town hall meeting with stakeholders from Ekiti North Senatorial District in Ifaki-Ekiti. The meeting formed part of consultations for the state’s 2027 budget and brought together traditional rulers, community leaders, youth representatives, local government officials and other stakeholders.
The governor said Ekiti would seek to improve on its previous voting figures for Tinubu in the next presidential election, arguing that residents should reciprocate what he described as the Federal Government’s support for the state.
The statement places Ekiti’s political mobilisation for the 2027 election alongside the governor’s preparations for his second term, with Oyebanji also outlining plans to focus government spending on infrastructure and sectors expected to increase economic productivity.
Oyebanji pointed to federal appointments involving people from Ekiti and infrastructure interventions as examples of what he considers the Tinubu administration’s support for the state.
He urged residents to translate that relationship into increased electoral backing for the President in 2027.
The governor’s latest comments are consistent with statements he has made throughout 2026. In August, he urged Ekiti APC leaders and stakeholders to mobilise support for Tinubu’s re-election while the party prepared for its internal congresses.
Earlier in May, Oyebanji also publicly advocated Tinubu’s re-election, saying the President’s reforms had benefited sub-national governments.
The latest declaration therefore represents a continuation of the governor’s publicly stated position rather than a new political alignment announced for the first time.
Oyebanji is preparing to begin a second term after winning the June 20, 2026 governorship election.
The Independent National Electoral Commission announced him as the winner with 319,224 votes, according to the Ekiti State Government. He subsequently received his Certificate of Return from INEC alongside his deputy, Monisade Afuye.
His second term is scheduled to begin on October 16, 2026.
At the Ifaki meeting, Oyebanji said the priorities of his next term would extend beyond political mobilisation, with government projects expected to concentrate on areas that can generate economic value and improve productivity.
He identified healthcare, electricity, roads and water supply among the sectors requiring continued investment.
The governor said limited public resources would require his administration to prioritise projects capable of producing measurable economic value.
Rather than focusing solely on physical infrastructure, he said the government intends to use public investment to create conditions in which businesses and artisans can become more productive.
His stated priorities include:
- Improving road infrastructure and connectivity.
- Expanding access to electricity.
- Strengthening healthcare delivery.
- Increasing water supply infrastructure.
- Supporting commerce and local businesses.
- Encouraging greater productivity and value addition.
Oyebanji also said his administration would continue its consultative approach, with community needs expected to influence decisions on which projects receive priority in the 2027 budget.
While the governor presented his administration’s development plans, community representatives used the town hall to identify infrastructure gaps they want addressed.
Traditional rulers and representatives from several local government areas called for additional attention to roads, electricity, water, healthcare and security.
The Alaaye of Oke Ayedun, Oba Femi Aribisala, speaking for Ikole Local Government Area, specifically appealed for interventions in roads, water and electricity, citing their importance to local economic activity.
Representatives from Moba, Ido/Osi and Oye local government areas similarly called for improved infrastructure and public services.
The requests provide a picture of the development priorities being presented to the state government as it prepares its 2027 spending plan.
Officials at the meeting also provided updates on projects and public services delivered under the current administration.
Commissioner for Health Oyebanji Filani said the state had recruited more than 300 nurses and 1,500 health assistants over the past four years. He also disclosed plans for three additional general hospitals in Ipao, Ikogosi and Awo-Ekiti.
Commissioner for Infrastructure and Public Utilities Bolaji Aluko said more than 500 boreholes had been constructed across the state, with another 110 proposed.
On roads, Oyebanji cited federal-state collaboration on major projects including the Ado-Ijan-Ilumoba-Ikole and Ado-Aramoko-Ita-Ore roads.
Oyebanji’s declaration adds Ekiti to the growing political activity ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general election, although his comments represent the position of the governor and his political administration rather than a prediction of how individual voters will ultimately vote.
For the state government, the immediate challenge is balancing political mobilisation with the delivery of the projects and services raised during the budget consultations.
Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid will be contested nationally, while political parties and their candidates are expected to campaign for votes across the country’s states.
In Ekiti, Oyebanji has now publicly committed his administration and state APC structure to supporting Tinubu’s re-election effort. The extent to which that political mobilisation translates into votes will only become clear when voters participate in the 2027 presidential election.
For now, the governor’s message combines two strands of his political agenda: stronger support for Tinubu at the federal level and a second-term development programme focused on infrastructure, productivity and economic activity within Ekiti.
