Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, has urged the people of the state to maintain peace and orderliness as the state approaches electioneering period, stressing that he owes it a duty to protect lives and property of all citizens and maintain peace by all means.
The Governor assured the citizens of Ekiti that his administration is determined to protect the state and work hard to prevent breakdown of law and order in the build-up to the governorship primaries in October this year and the main election in June 2026.
Addressing the people of Ekiti State in a statewide broadcast relayed on all radio and television stations in the state on Tuesday morning, Oyebanji stressed that “the security agencies will be on the alert and will not allow anybody to bloodstain the immaculate name of Ekiti as a peaceful and progressive State.”
The Governor said he was compelled to make the broadcast in view of recent cases of orchestrated violence in some parts of the State, that followed the revelation that some individuals had paid for a coordinated media attacks on the administration through orchestrated false accusation.
Oyebanji said he has been “seriously alarmed by the recent occurrence of political thuggery in some parts of the state” which negates the fact that Ekiti has been peaceful for over two and a half years of his administration and has been adjudged by the security community as the most peaceful state.”
He admonished the people of the state not to allow individuals he referred to as “fifth columnists” to weaponize the challenges associated with some roads that need rehabilitation to blindfold them from seeing other roads that the State Government and the Federal Government have fixed.
He equally enjoined political leaders to rein in on their supporters to give peace a priority, while also appealing to his supporters to conduct themselves in an exemplary manner and avoid acrimonious engagement with anyone, no matter the level of provocation.
“ It should never be heard that members of my party or those sympathetic to us are involved in acts that are capable of instigating violence. My aspiration is not worth the precious blood of any Ekiti person. No one is allowed to bully, intimidate or coerce another person and every Ekiti citizen has a right to freely move around and to peacefully canvass for votes”, the Governor added.
The Governor said further: “While it is generally expected that political temperature often heightens during electioneering season, it is almost given, that with the two previous gubernatorial elections in the State, which were adjudged very peaceful, Ekiti had embraced a new political culture where political actors contest with ideas, and not with guns or cutlasses. The recent incidence is therefore a condemnable drawback that must not be allowed to fester.
“Indeed, the harshest critics of this administration have acknowledged that we have run an inclusive government; not only by crossing the aisle of partisan division to appointing opposition people into Government, but, by also deliberately reaching out to key opposition leaders, including those who contested against us, to be stakeholders in our administration.
“We deliberately toed this path because of our abiding belief in peace and its imperatives for sustainable socioeconomic development. There is no doubt that the Ekiti political environment has been indulgent, liberal, open and peaceful since we took over. That is why one is seriously concerned about the pockets of intolerable violence that took place in the one last week.
“It was even scary that these attacks came after our initial appeal to stakeholders to maintain the peace and ensure a rancour-free electioneering. I once again appeal to my supporters to maintain the peace, conduct themselves exemplarily and avoid any acrimonious engagement with anyone, no matter the level of provocation.
” It should never be heard that members of my party or those sympathetic to us are involved in acts that are capable of instigating violence. My aspiration is not worth the precious blood of any Ekiti person.
“Whereas our Constitution, as a nation, grants all citizens the right to freedom of association and expression, such a freedom must be exercised within the confines of the law. No one is allowed to bully, intimidate or coerce another person, and every Ekiti citizen has a right to freely move around and to peacefully canvass for votes.
“I therefore appeal to all political leaders to rein in their supporters to give peace a priority. The seed of our ambition should not be nurtured with the blood of our followers. We must all be committed to the ideal that the peace of Ekiti is more important than our individual aspiration.”
The Governor appealed to all Ekiti people to go about their normal legitimate activities without fear or hesitation noting that security agencies have been properly briefed to ensure a peaceful environment and to quickly deal with any threat without let or favour.
Oyebanji assured the people of the commitment of his administration to the social contract he has with them which he said has manifested in all sectors of the economy adding that he would continue to serve them and work for their overall wellbeing.
