Eight hundred and eighty five elected delegates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State have unanimously elected Governor Biodun Oyebanji as the party’s candidate for the forthcoming election.

The special nomination congress, held at the Ekiti Parapo Pavilion in Ado-Ekiti on Monday, was a peaceful exercise supervised by the Governor of Kogi State, Usman Ododo, who chaired the committee for the exercise.

The congress commenced in the morning, and Governor Oyebanji arrived at about 10:40 a.m. to a rousing welcome from delegates.

In his opening remarks, Governor Ododo noted that the party was determined to adhere to all legal and procedural requirements in validating the affirmation of a consensus candidate.

He invited Mrs. Atinuke Omolayo to formally declare her withdrawal from the race, after which a motion for the affirmation of Oyebanji was moved by the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, and seconded by the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adeoye Aribasoye.

Ododo then put the affirmation to a voice vote, which received a loud and unanimous “yes” from all delegates. He noted that Ekiti is the first state to hold this type of special nomination congress.

The build-up to the primary had seen the disqualification of two aspirants for non-compliance with party guidelines, while another aspirant voluntarily stepped down for the incumbent governor.

In his acceptance speech, Governor Oyebanji thanked President Bola Tinubu for his sustained support and encouragement.

He said the affirmation reflected the popular will of APC members across the state and expressed his readiness to fly the party’s flag in the election.

Celebrating the historic occasion that made him the first consensus candidate of a ruling party in the state, Oyebanji extended a hand of fellowship to Kayode Ojo, who was disqualified from the race, urging him to join in the collective mission to keep Ekiti on the path of progress.