Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has inaugurated a team of 5,000 community canvassers to mobilise grassroots support for his re-election and that of President Bola Tinubu.
The canvassers, assembled under the Oyebanji/Afuye ticket and the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign structure, were mobilised by the Director-General of the Ekiti State Bureau of Community Communications, Mrs Mary Oso-Omotosho.
Speaking at the inauguration, Oyebanji commended the volunteers for committing themselves to the task of canvassing votes for the APC in the state.
He urged them, party members and supporters across political divides to maintain peace in the build-up to the June 20 governorship election.
The governor appealed to residents of Ekiti State to reciprocate what he described as the Federal Government’s support for the state by voting massively for the APC.
“The only way to say thank you to President Tinubu for all he has been doing for Ekiti State is to come out en masse to vote on June 20 and test the microphone,” Oyebanji said.
He expressed confidence that the ruling party would secure victory in the governorship poll, noting that the APC was aiming not just to win but to achieve a significant margin that would boost the party’s momentum ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“For the presidential election, we don’t want to leave anyone behind. I will hold you to your promises, and it is doable,” he added.
Oyebanji further appealed to political stakeholders to prioritise peace throughout the electoral process.
“As you continue with this evangelism, please be at peace with everybody. We are one in Ekiti State; we should not allow politics to divide us. I don’t want you to fight with anyone,” the governor cautioned.
He also urged opposition candidates to conduct their campaigns with decorum and allow voters to make informed choices.
“Let everybody go and sell themselves and their manifestoes to the people of Ekiti State and let the people make their choice. No ambition is worth the blood of any citizen,” he said.
The governor also called on eligible residents who have yet to register to take advantage of the ongoing voter registration exercise by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and participate in the election.
Earlier, the Director-General of the Bureau of Community Communications, Mrs Oso-Omotosho, said the 5,000 canvassers volunteered out of conviction, citing what she described as Oyebanji’s impactful governance in the state.
According to her, each canvasser has been tasked with mobilising at least 25 voters in the coming election, a target she said could translate into about 125,000 votes for the governor.
“The canvassers are 5,000 and their assignment is simple but powerful. They are to bring and deliver at least 25 voters each,” she said.
“Overall, this group alone is poised to deliver 125,000 votes in the next election for the governor. We have also created a dedicated vote-tracking website that will enable us to track, monitor and ascertain the numbers.”
Oso-Omotosho noted that the volunteers were drawn from various grassroots structures, including neighbourhoods, religious centres, markets and farming communities across the state.
“These canvassers are ordinary citizens from our communities, neighbourhoods, places of worship, markets and fields. They are not political office-seekers; they are people who believe in the continuity of progress in Ekiti State,” she said.
She added that the mobilisation initiative reflects growing grassroots support for the Oyebanji administration and its development agenda.
“What we celebrate today in Ekiti is not merely governance. We celebrate a rare kind of leadership that you exude and exemplify. You do not only run an inclusive government, you run a humanitarian government,” she added.
