APC inaugurates Ekiti governorship campaign council

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has formally launched its campaign structure for the forthcoming Ekiti State governorship election, expressing confidence that Governor Biodun Oyebanji will secure another term in office.

The party on Wednesday inaugurated its National Campaign Council in Abuja, with APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda charging members to deploy their experience and political influence to ensure the party’s victory in the election.

According to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) timetable, the Ekiti governorship election is scheduled to hold on 20 June.

Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq chairs the council, which comprises party leaders, governors, lawmakers, and other stakeholders drawn from across the country.

Speaking during the inauguration, Mr Yilwatda described the assignment as critical to the party’s electoral success and commended council members for accepting the responsibility.

He said the composition of the campaign team reflected the APC’s commitment to unity, inclusiveness and collective participation, expressing confidence that members would strengthen the party’s grassroots mobilisation and campaign efforts.

According to him, the APC remains well-positioned to retain power in Ekiti, citing the governor’s performance record and the party’s nationwide political structure.

Mr Yilwatda praised Mr Oyebanji’s administration, describing the governor as one of the party’s strongest performers. He pointed to achievements in road construction, social intervention programmes, education and healthcare as evidence of effective governance.

The APC chairman said he had personally visited several projects in the state and was satisfied with the level of development under the current administration.

“I was an eyewitness that the government is doing very, very well,” he said, stressing that the administration is delivering on its promises through infrastructure development, social protection initiatives, educational support and improved healthcare services.

Beyond physical infrastructure, Mr Yilwatda said the governor had succeeded in fostering unity and strengthening social cohesion across the state.

Addressing Mr Oyebanji directly, he said the party was proud to present him to Ekiti voters for a second mandate, insisting that the governor’s record in office provided a strong basis for re-election.

The APC chairman also expressed optimism about the party’s prospects in the poll, arguing that the APC remained the most formidable political platform in the country.

He noted that the attendance of governors, members of the National Assembly and party officials from different geopolitical zones at the inauguration demonstrated the breadth of support available to the governor’s campaign.

Mr Yilwatda described members of the campaign council as committed party loyalists prepared to work towards electoral victory, adding that the APC possessed the organisational capacity, resources and manpower required to win the election.

He also highlighted the inclusion of women, young people and persons with disabilities in the campaign structure, saying the party was determined to ensure broad participation in the electoral process.

“The women are here, the young people are here, the elderly are here. With all talents and all shared opinions, people who can raise funding down to mobilisation at the polling-unit level, we are prepared,” he said.

On campaign financing, the APC chairman dismissed concerns about funding, expressing confidence that the calibre of leaders and stakeholders involved would provide the support necessary for a successful campaign.

The inauguration marks the formal commencement of the APC’s preparations for the Ekiti governorship election, with the party seeking to retain control of the state under Mr Oyebanji.