IGEDE-EKITI — In a major political shift ahead of the June 20, 2026, Ekiti State governorship election, the candidate of the Allied People’s Movement (APM), Chief Joseph Anifowose, has officially withdrawn from the race. Anifowose publicly stepped down and collapsed his campaign structure into that of the incumbent governor, Biodun Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress (APC), during a packed campaign rally in Igede-Ekiti.

The APM flag bearer cited the visible infrastructural transformation, social service delivery, and unique political stability achieved under the Oyebanji administration over the past three and a half years as the sole drivers for his withdrawal. He revealed that the APM State Executive and State Working Committees had already met and directed all local government executives to mobilize their supporters to vote exclusively for the APC candidate.

The Call for Continuity: Unifying Former Rivals

Addressing party stalwarts and residents at the rally, Chief Anifowose emphasized that the state’s progress should transcend partisan rivalries. He praised Governor Oyebanji’s inclusive governance style, particularly his rare ability to unite all living former governors of Ekiti State behind a singular developmental agenda.

"If you look at Governor Oyebanji in the last three and a half years, he has been able to mobilize all the former governors for the development of the state," Anifowose declared. "Governor Oyebanji is a divine arrangement and God-sent. He has shown immense capacity and competence, and he is deeply committed to making Ekiti great. That is why my party, APM, has decided to endorse and support him to ensure the continuity of this ongoing development agenda."

No Breathing Space for the Social Media Opposition

Earlier in the day at a parallel rally in Ilawe-Ekiti, Governor Oyebanji, alongside the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, and Senate Spokesman, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, declared that the APC will give no breathing space to opposition parties in the state. The trio asserted that the ruling party is systematically positioned to secure a landslide victory on June 20, which will lay the groundwork for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid in January 2027.

Governor Oyebanji took a direct swipe at rival political parties, mocking them for their complete inactivity on the physical campaign trail. He accused them of hiding behind digital screens rather than engaging real voters in local communities.

"No other party is actively campaigning out here," Governor Oyebanji told the cheering crowd. "They are only campaigning on social media, and that is exactly where they will hear their own results on election day. God has given us the victory already. We are targeting a massive 500,000 total votes at the coming election and a clean 177-0 sweep across every single ward in the state. We don't want to lose a single unit."

The Infrastructural Scorecard and Federal Support

The APC leadership layout emphasized that the administration's aggressive infrastructure push is the primary justification for seeking a second term. Oyebanji detailed a long list of key capital projects executed across the Ekiti South West Local Government Area and surrounding corridors, including:

  • The comprehensive reconstruction of the Ikere-Ilawe Road, Ikere-Igbara Odo Road, and the Igbara Odo-Ikogosi Road.

  • The total overhaul of the Ilawe-Erijiyan Road and the modernization of the Ilawe General Hospital.

  • Federal government interventions, including the partial completion of the Ikere-Iju-Ita Ogbolu-Akure highway and ongoing reconstruction on the notorious Itawure-Aramoko-Igede-Ado highway.

Furthermore, the Governor disclosed that two major power transmission substations being developed by the federal government at Ilupeju-Ekiti and Ijesa-Isu-Ekiti are nearing completion. Once commissioned, these stations will drastically boost electricity supply for domestic consumers and industrial hubs across the state.

A Stern Warning Against "Wasted Votes"

Senator Yemi Adaramodu, who serves as the Deputy Director-General of the Campaign Council, reminded the electorate of their voting weight. He noted that Ekiti South West Local Government Area alone boasts roughly 56,000 registered voters, charging the local campaign coordinators to deliver no less than 50,000 valid votes for the APC banner.

Reinforcing this call, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele enjoined the electorate to completely avoid what he described as "wasted votes." He argued that voting for marginal, structural-less opposition parties out of hometown sentiment is counterproductive, as only a party that holds offices from the local councils up to the presidency can successfully deliver long-term federal interventions, like the mini-stadium he recently facilitated in Ilawe.

"If you have a contestant in your hometown, but he belongs to a party without a President, Governor, Senator, Reps member, Assembly member, or even a councillor, he is asking you to waste your ballot," Bamidele warned. "Vote for a party from which your community can actually benefit. This is no longer the Ekiti South West that Biodun Oyebanji met on the ground; a lot has changed, and we must sustain this progress."

Ekiti State APC Chairman, Barrister Sola Elesin, concluded the rallies by affirming that Oyebanji has exceeded all performance expectations, urging voters to turn out in historic numbers to protect and advance the governance standards established over his first term.