…says only revalidated party members will vote in the Option A4 direct primary
...lauds proactive security measures across Ekiti to safeguard lives and property
Ado Ekiti
October 8, 2025
Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Stephen Adeoye Aribasoye, has described Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji (BAO) as a compassionate and people-centred leader whose humility and development-driven governance have endeared him to genuine members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) across the 177 wards of the state.
Speaking on a Progress FM 100.5 program titled “Ṣé O Mọ BAO Dáadá?”, Aribasoye said APC members are resolute in their support for the Governor ahead of the October 27 governorship primary, noting that the contest within the party is not about who to vote for, but about the extent of delivery for BAO in every ward.
“Ward by ward in Ekiti, what’s happening now is total delivery for BAO. The competition is not about who to vote for; it’s about delivering 100% for BAO everywhere,” he said.
The Speaker explained that only registered and revalidated members of the APC are eligible to participate in the direct primary, which will hold simultaneously across all wards in the state. He clarified that the process will follow the Option A4 model, a system that allows party members to queue behind their preferred candidate in a transparent and inclusive manner.
According to him, votes cast in the direct primary will later be ratified by officially designated ratification delegates, making the exercise both participatory and democratic, which is in accordance with the party's electoral guidelines.
“It’s a direct primary; all revalidated members will vote at their various wards. After that, ratification delegates will affirm the outcome. There’s no contest, you only reap what you sow. Governor Oyebanji has been visible, loyal, and generous to the party, and the members are standing by him,” Aribasoye added.
He dismissed critics on social media as non-party members, stressing that the authentic APC family is united behind the Governor’s re-election bid.
The Speaker also applauded the Oyebanji-led administration for the massive road rehabilitation works currently ongoing across the state, which he said are already boosting economic activities and improving citizens’ livelihoods.
On the recent deployment of security personnel across Ado Ekiti and other strategic locations in the state, Aribasoye said the move was a proactive measure by Governor Oyebanji in line with his constitutional duty to protect lives and property. He noted that the governor’s action was not political, but purely preventive, aimed at forestalling infiltration and ensuring that Ekiti remains one of the safest states in the country.
According to him, the government could not afford to take chances, given the growing wave of insecurity in some neighbouring states, where cases of kidnapping and banditry had become worrisome.
“The constitution is very clear, the primary duty of any government is to safeguard lives and property. What the governor has done is a responsible step to prevent any breach of peace. We’ve seen what’s happening around us, and Ekiti cannot fold its arms until it escalates. The security deployment is a safety measure, not a sign of crisis,” the Speaker explained.
Speaking on why the legislative arm of government is strongly in support of continuity, Aribasoye explained that Ekiti gained nothing from the era of political hostility between the executive and the legislature in the past.
“We all saw what happened when the executive and legislative arms were at loggerheads. Ekiti didn’t gain anything from those periods of unnecessary conflict. There’s no good thing that comes out of fighting the executive arm. That’s why we in the legislature are standing with Governor Oyebanji for continuity, stability, and progress,” he said.
He emphasized that continuity of government remains the bedrock of sustainable development, citing Lagos as an example of how political stability and successive administrations working in alignment can transform a state.
“Continuity brings progress. It helps a government consolidate on its gains. Ekiti must not become an experimental ground where inexperienced people come and go at will. What we need is stability, peace, and steady development, and that’s what BAO represents,” the Speaker concluded.
