President Bola Tinubu said on Tuesday that Ekiti State Governor and All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in the June 20 Ekiti election, Biodun Oyebanji, deserved to be reelected.
Tinubu hinged the assertion on the basis of the rapid socio-economic development the state had witnessed since he assumed office in October 2022.
The President, represented by the Vice President Kashim Shettima, spoke in Ado Ekiti on Tuesday, during the inauguration of a 1.2km flyover named after him by the Ekiti State Government.
The President had, earlier in the day, performed the groundbreaking of the Ekiti Knowledge Zone, a technological and digital hub of the state government and the inauguration of the zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Speaking at the inauguration of the flyover, the President appealed to the people of Ekiti State to re-elect Oyebanji for another term of office.
“We are in the electoral season, and less than two weeks from now, there will be an election here in Ekiti State. Omoluabi is on the ticket, Oyebanji is on the ticket. I urge you all to vote for him,” he said.
Tinubu hailed the governor for transforming Ekiti to a modern state within three and a half years, restating the readiness of his administration to always identify with the state and its developmental strides.
He described the flyover as “another promise kept by Governor Oyebanji and a testimony to his commitment to the people of the state, made possible by my administration’s commitment to ensuring that states get more resources from the federal purse.”
He said the flyover and many projects previously inaugurated in over three years and life-transforming policies had proven that “the APC is the party that assures the people of result-oriented governance and improved standard of living both at the state level and national level.”
According to him, Oyebanji has done enough to merit another four years in office, judging by the avalanche of life-changing policies, programmes and projects that have transformed the lives of the people of the state.
The President said the forthcoming governorship election represented another golden opportunity for Ekiti people to reward Oyebanji’s hard work.
Speaking earlier, Oyebanji appreciated Tinubu for his support for the state, which, he said, contributed to the progress made in Ekiti under his administration.
The governor said, “We want to thank Mr President for the support he has given to us as a state government. Whatever achievements we might have achieved in Ekiti State close to four years now, after God, the glory and all accolades should go to Mr President for his support.
“In appreciation of the people to Mr President for his support, this flyover is named Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu Flyover, and we make a pledge to Mr President that as a state and as a people, we shall continue to support him and we shall continue to stand by his party.”
The Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Adeyemo Adejugbe, noted that the removal of fuel subsidy by the Tinubu Administration had brought about fiscal stability, regular payment of workers’ salaries and more remittances to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.
The monarch, however, urged the Federal Government to urgently tackle the problem of insecurity.
The inauguration ceremony, which was performed at the foot of the flyover at Ajilosun-Ijigbo end, was witnessed by Ondo State Governor Lucky Ayedatiwa; Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele; former Ekiti State Governor, Chief Segun Oni; Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Mrs Monisade Afuye and officials from the Presidency led by the Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Alhaji Ibrahim Kabir Masari.
Earlier at the groundbreaking of the Ekiti Knowledge Zone, the President hailed Oyebanji for sustaining and promoting the spirit behind the concept of the project, which he said: “has a good prognosis of becoming a viable Nigerian hub of innovations, research and skill development in the future.”
Tinubu, on the occasion, described Ekiti as the home of scholars and posited that the EKZ, as a state government-propelled investment, was capable of radicalising the potentials of talented Nigerians.
The President lauded Oyebanji for demonstrating visionary leadership in governing the state by building strategic alliances with critical stakeholders to make Ekiti a model.
While describing the project as a masterpiece, the President said it was in alignment with Singapore’s vision that any economy could be unlocked through education and technological innovation.