Engineer Kayode Ojo’s formal declaration for the 2026 governorship election has completely altered the political calculus in Ekiti State.
By obtaining the APC nomination form, the Pro-Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka has sent a direct message: Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s second-term ambition will not be a walk in the park.
For months, Oyebanji has thrived on orchestrated endorsements and hollow solidarity rallies, but Ojo’s candidacy cuts through the noise.
It crystallises the discontent that has long been simmering within the APC—a resentment born of sidelined loyalists, alienated stakeholders, and the shocking empowerment of opposition figures at the expense of party faithful.
The Ojo campaign did not mince words. It accused Oyebanji of frittering away billions of naira on political jamborees while Ekiti’s roads remain death traps and the economy bleeds.
The message is simple: Oyebanji has governed by excuses; Ojo promises governance by action.
This is not just another aspirant testing the waters. Ojo represents the most formidable internal rebellion Oyebanji has faced since assuming office.
By styling his campaign as the “Ekiti Rescue Mission”, Ojo is positioning himself not merely as an alternative but as the antidote to Oyebanji’s perceived failures.
His blueprint is bold: a super-highway to Lekki seaports, agricultural transformation, renewed tourism, and genuine local government autonomy.
But beyond policy, it is the politics that matters here. Ojo has struck the right chord with disgruntled APC stalwarts who feel betrayed and humiliated by Oyebanji’s governing style.
Make no mistake: this is a battle for the soul of Ekiti APC. Ojo’s entry threatens to tear down Oyebanji’s carefully constructed façade of control.
Unless the governor quickly regains the confidence of his party, the 2026 APC primary could well become his political Waterloo.
What began as a form collection has now morphed into a looming nightmare for Oyebanji. Ekiti politics has entered its most unpredictable phase yet.
