Opposition Candidates in Ekiti Back Tinubu’s Re-election Bid

President Bola Tinubu’s campaign for re-election received a significant boost in Ekiti State on Thursday. Governorship candidates from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Social Democratic Party (SDP), and Allied Peoples Movement (APM) announced their support for his second-term bid. This announcement was made during an All Progressives Congress (APC) rally in Ado-Ekiti.

At the rally, Governor Biodun Oyebanji pledged that Ekiti would deliver at least 90 percent of its votes for Tinubu in the upcoming presidential election on January 16, 2027. Vice-President Kashim Shettima, who represented Tinubu at the event, highlighted the growing political strength of the APC in the state, thanks to the support from former opposition candidates and political leaders.

Shettima encouraged residents to surpass the 201,495 votes Tinubu received in the 2023 presidential election, where the APC won in all 16 local government areas of Ekiti. He expressed hope that the party could achieve 90 to 95 percent of the votes in the upcoming election, given the total registered voters in the state.

Governor Oyebanji described the rally as a sign of political unity and emphasized that the endorsement from former opposition candidates has strengthened the APC’s position. He reminded attendees of Tinubu’s promise to support Ekiti during his campaign in 2022 and noted that this promise has been fulfilled through significant federal support.

Oyebanji also mentioned the APC’s strong performance in the June governorship election, which he attributed to the satisfaction of residents with his administration and federal interventions. He reiterated the commitment to improve on their previous electoral performance.

Abdulaziz Yari, the Director-General of the campaign, urged Ekiti residents to aim for at least 800,000 votes for Tinubu, representing about 90 percent of the state’s votes. He highlighted Tinubu’s investments in education, road construction, and youth development as reasons for residents to support him.

Other notable speakers at the rally included the APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, and former Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole, who pointed out the administration’s achievements in education and security. They all called on the people of Ekiti to support Tinubu’s re-election and the APC candidates in the upcoming elections.