The Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has said there is no credible alternative to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the January 2027 presidential election.
Oyebanji said the President’s reforms have boosted the fortunes of the sub-nationals and improved infrastructure across the country.
He said this is what is making many states clamour for his re-election for a second term in office.
He also said the forthcoming gubernatorial election in Ekiti State would be a celebration of democracy owing to the high level of support he continues to receive from the electorate, adding that the election would only parade opponents without opposition.
Governor Oyebanji stated these in Ado-Ekiti on Wednesday during the launch of the Southwest Agenda for Asiwaju (SWAGA 2.0), a support group for Tinubu’s second term in office.
The event, which took place at the Eagle Hall, Ado Ekiti, was witnessed by the Deputy Governor, Chief Monisade Afuye; former Governor of Ekiti State, Segun Oni; Chairman, Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), Senator Dayo Adeyeye, who is the National Chairman of SWAGA; Managing Director of the Federal Housing Authority, Hon. Oyetunde Ojo; and leaders of the group from across the six South West states.
Addressing the mammoth crowd at the colourful event, Governor Oyebajji said President Tinubu was fully prepared for governance.
This, he said, reflects in the courageous decisions he has taken, which have helped reposition the country’s economy and the attendant stability.
The governor, who said he had to shelve his campaign activities scheduled for Wednesday to be part of the event in view of its importance, said Ekiti State people are solidly with the President and would vote massively for his re-election in January 2027.
Stressing that no president in the history of the country has been as fair to Ekiti State as Tinubu, Oyebanii said but for his reforms that freed some funds to the sub nationals, he would not have been able to achieve much in terms of infrastructure development in the state.
He therefore sought the assistance of the leadership of the group to express appreciation to the President on behalf of Ekiti State.
He said: “Before I go into my short remarks, let me publicly say that I am very grateful to the President.
“Please thank him on behalf of Ekiti people.
“And I’m saying this publicly because we are 29 years old as a state, no president has been this good to us in Ekiti.
“And I’m pleading with you to please help us thank him.
“I’m sure by the time we get to the poll, you will know that we are SWAGA-compliant here.
“And like our leaders said, the June 20 election in Ekiti State is going to be a celebration of democracy.
“Many people have been asking us why do you take this thing so seriously?
“Because the truth of the matter is that we have opponents, we don’t have opposition.
“There are characters that want to be governor, fantastic.
“It’s their right.
“But the aggregate of all those people can’t scratch anything from the party in the state.
“So, we see them as opponents, but they are not opposition.
“But in spite of that, we have taken this campaign as if our life and our future depend on it.”
Speaking further, Oyebanji said that the June 20 election in the state has a number of implications, including the August’s election in Osun State as well as the presidential election in January 2027, which invariably will tell the people in other regions that the President is a prophet that is valued and honoured at home.
He added that his remarkable performance will ginger Osun State electorates to also win resoundingly.
Earlier, Adeyeye said the group came back to the state with the primary purpose of garnering support for Governor Oyebanji in his bid to make a remarkable impact in the forthcoming election as well mobilise massively for President Tinubu’s second term.
While asserting that Oyebanji had already won the election, he assured him that the whole machinery of the group will concentrate all its efforts in the state till after the election to ensure that the governor fulfils the benchmark of at least 500,000 votes as well as set a record of winning in all the electoral wards.
Prior to the event, Governor Oyebanji had received the leadership of SWAGA led by Senator Adeyeye on a courtesy visit at the Governor’s office.
