Adebayo Adenrele
Engr Kayode Ojo, a prominent gubernatorial aspirant of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Ekiti State, has called on President Bola Tinubu to caution the incumbent Governor of the state, Biodun Oyebanji over threat to party members.
Kayode Ojo, who noted that Oyebanji’s action is tantamount to destroying the party, said the Governor has no right to force loyalty on any members of the party, as APC prepares for primary election come October 27, ahead of the 2026 governorship election.
Recall that Oyebanji, on Thursday warned party members, local government chairmen, ward chairmen and stakeholders against entertaining Kayode Ojo and other aspirants in their vicinities.
Addressing journalists on Sunday in Ado-Ekiti, Kayode Ojo, represented by his Consultative Team Lead, Olukayode Oluyemo faulted Oyebanji for what he described as an intimidating move, saying he has violated Article 9 (3) of the party’s constitution and Section 40 of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution (as amended).
He warned that these actions of the Governor, if not curtailed by the Party’s National Excos will lead to discord within the party and further implicate the presidential ambitions of Bola Tinubu.
Oluyemo added, “Governor Biodun Oyebanji who claims to be a popular candidate in the gubernatorial race is no doubt faced with the reality of his waning popularity among his own political appointees, as evidenced by his inglorious media outing where he admitted ‘scarcity of loyalty’ in his camp while openly accusing his appointees of disloyalty, and excoriating them of throwing their weight behind Engr Kayode Ojo.
“The governor’s desperation has also led to the issuance of threats to local government chairmen, APC chairmen in each local government and APC ward executives not to welcome or entertain any other gubernatorial aspirant
“To us in Engineer Kayode Ojo’s camp, this threat is not only ludicrous but also vexatious and aptly demonstrates to all and sundry that the governor intends to turn the APC into his private fiefdom and family inheritance. We wish to remind Mr Governor that APC belongs to all of us and it is on record that Engineer Kayode Ojo, a committed party man and prominent party member, has spent a fortune to nurture APC to an enviable height in Ekiti State.
“The public is also reminded that Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s intolerance of innocuous democratic activities reached another dimension with the series of attacks on our supporters at Moba, Igede, Irepodun/Ifelodun, Ado-Ekiti Local Governments and other parts of the State.
“Our members were picked up at different locations and charged for fictitious offences which include armed robbery and kidnapping.
“We therefore use this medium to call on the Inspector General of Police, the AIG Zone 17, the Commissioner of Police in Ekiti State and Area Commanders in Ekiti State to provide a level playing ground for all members of the APC to choose and follow their preferred aspirants preparatory to the APC Gubernatorial Primary Elections.
“We equally plead with the leadership of the APC in Ekiti State to eschew partisanship and embrace all gubernatorial aspirants as one in the APC Family
“We also plead with our Father, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the national leadership of our great Party to caution Governor Biodun Oyebanji against ordering the arrest, harassment and maiming of APC members in Ekiti State. The orthcoming primary election is not a do or die affair.
“He is unbecoming of the high office he presently occupies. He must shed the toga of an autocrat and start behaving like a democrat. He must resist the overwhelming tempt Conto subvert, enfeeble or destroy the same democratic precepts and tenets that facilitated his emergence as Governor”.
Also speaking, the maiden minority leader of Ekiti State House of Assembly (EKHA) and former federal commissioner, National Population Commission, Abuja, Hon Lanre Fayemi said Kayode Ojo has contributed immensely to the development of the party and Ekiti, in contrary to the claims of the Governor.
He claimed that the Gubernatorial Aspirant is among the the well-meaning citizens who contributed to the functionality of Ekiti Cargo International Airport, by donating N80m worth of fire house to the facility.
On her part, Omotunde Fajuyi said the aspirant’s antecedents have been speaking volumes in the state, ranging from provision of scholarship worth billions of naira to students across the 16 local government areas of the state, through the help of his solid and thriving business enterprise.
