Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, on Monday
emerged as the consensus candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for
the forthcoming governorship election.
The special nomination congress, held at the Ekiti
Parapo Pavilion in Ado-Ekiti, was a peaceful exercise supervised by the
Governor of Kogi State, Usman Ododo, who chaired the committee for the process.
The congress commenced in the morning, with Governor
Oyebanji arriving at about 10:40 a.m. to a rousing welcome from delegates.
In his opening remarks, Governor Ododo said the party
was committed to upholding all legal and procedural requirements in validating
the affirmation of a consensus candidate.
He invited Mrs. Atinuke Omolayo to formally announce
her withdrawal from the race, after which the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele,
moved a motion for the affirmation of Oyebanji’s candidacy, seconded by the
Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adeoye Aribasoye.
Ododo subsequently put the motion to a voice vote,
which received a unanimous “yes” from all delegates. He noted that Ekiti was
the first state to hold such a special nomination congress.
Ahead of the exercise, two aspirants had been
disqualified for non-compliance with party guidelines, while another
voluntarily stepped down for the incumbent governor.
In his acceptance speech, Governor Oyebanji thanked
President Bola Tinubu for his sustained support and encouragement, describing
his emergence as a reflection of the collective will of APC members across the
state.
He pledged to justify the confidence reposed in him
and extended an olive branch to disqualified aspirant Kayode Ojo, urging him to
join hands in advancing the state’s development.
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