Governor Biodun Oyebanji has called on all political actors in the state to embrace peace, warning against ambitions that could stir a bloodbath of lives.
Mr Oyebanji, in a statewide broadcast on Tuesday, maintained that the security of lives and property in the state was paramount, expressing his administration’s intolerance of recent pockets of orchestrated violence in some parts of Ekiti.
Mr Oyebanji said, “A couple of days ago, we received the intelligence that some individuals had paid media allies from outside the state to commence coordinated media attacks against our administration, through orchestrated false accusations.
“We thought the whole plan was to mainly use the media to denigrate our government through negative propaganda campaigns. We did not envisage that the devilish plan included premeditated violent campaigns. Like many, I have been seriously alarmed by the recent occurrence of political thuggery in some parts of the state.”
Encouraging the use of ideas as a rallying point rather than violence, Mr Oyebanji appealed to all political actors in the state to opt for peace, noting that all political activities must be conducted within the law.
“While it is often generally expected that political tension heightens during electioneering season, it is almost given that with the two previous gubernatorial election in the state, which were adjudged very peaceful, Ekiti had embraced a new political culture, where political actors contested with ideas, and not with guns and cutlasses.
“It was even scary that this attack came after our initial appeal to stakeholders to maintain peace and ensure a rancour-free electioneering. I once again appeal to my supporters to maintain peace, conduct themselves exemplarily, and avoid any acrimonious engagement with anyone, no matter the level of provocation,” he added.
Mr Oyebanji cautioned against acts capable of instigating violence, reiterating that no “aspiration is not worth the precious blood of any Ekiti person”.
“No one is allowed to bully, intimidate, or coerce another person. I appeal to all political leaders to rein in their supporters to give peace a priority. The seed of ambitions should not be nurtured with the blood of our followers,” he said.
The governor stated that the state security apparatus has been put on alert to prevent a breakdown of law and order in the state.
Earlier, the state chapters of the African Democratic Congress and the All Peoples Congress traded words over allegations of politically motivated violence and attacks on opposition party members ahead of the state’s 2026 governorship election.
The ADC chairman in Ekiti, Ilesanmi Omolaye, accused APC of disrupting its meeting in Ikere Ekiti, vandalising cars and motorcycles, as well as inflicting injuries on some persons.
However, APC spokesman in the state, Segun Dipe, stated, “Nobody is disturbing them from parading themselves as starters, but to say that APC is threatening them or is creating a crisis, they are only trying to create artificial problems for themselves and crying wolf where there is none.”
