Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has forwarded a fresh list of commissioner nominees to the State House of Assembly, comprising largely members of the cabinet he dissolved in August. The development was announced on Monday in a statement issued in Ado Ekiti by the Governor’s Special Adviser on Media, Yinka Oyebode.
Governor Oyebanji had, on 10 August, dissolved his cabinet through a directive signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Habitat Adubiaro, while retaining five commissioners considered essential to the continuity of government operations. Those retained were the Commissioners for Education, Health, Agriculture, Trade and Investment, along with the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice.
The dissolution came just weeks before the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary. However, the new list submitted to the legislature features commissioners who previously served in the dissolved executive council.
According to Monday’s statement, the decision to return the former commissioners for screening was reached jointly by the APC leadership and key stakeholders across Ekiti State, who reportedly urged the governor to retain the existing team. The move, the statement noted, is aimed at fostering unity within the party as it approaches the 2026 governorship election scheduled for 20 June.
“The decision was hinged on the need for the party to go into the June 20, 2026, Ekiti State Governorship election as a united family. It is believed that appointing a new set of commissioners barely seven months to the election could be counter-productive,” the statement said.
It added that the party hierarchy, community leaders and other influential stakeholders had previously collaborated with the screening committee set up by the governor in 2023 to select and nominate commissioners and other appointees.
The statement further recalled that upon assuming office, Governor Oyebanji pledged to involve the party structure and community leaders in appointments to ensure accountability and strengthen the link between public office holders and the people they serve.
The State Assembly is expected to begin screening of the nominees in the coming days.
