Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has vowed that the African Democratic Congress (ADC) will claim victory in the upcoming 2026 governorship election in Ekiti State, signaling a strong challenge to the current administration led by Governor Biodun Oyebanji.
Atiku, a leading figure in the ADC, made the statement during the official launch of the party’s Ekiti State chapter over the weekend in Ado-Ekiti.
Represented at the event by Prof. Bayo Fakunle, former Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), the ex-Vice President declared:
“The party will participate in the 2026 governorship election in Ekiti State and win,” adding that Governor Oyebanji should begin preparing his handover notes.
The occasion also marked a wave of defections from multiple major parties into the ADC.
Defectors included prominent members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Social Democratic Party (SDP), Labour Party (LP), and even the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Expressing appreciation to Ekiti voters for their support during past presidential elections, Atiku used the platform to renew his commitment to the state’s people, promising better governance under the ADC.
“The ADC would rescue them from untold hardship,” he said through Prof. Fakunle, calling on citizens to rally behind the party’s rescue mission.
Former Deputy Governor Prof. Kolapo Olusola, who led the PDP faction into the ADC, echoed this sentiment during his remarks.
“The ADC was formed to chase away those who are destroying the country through maladministration,” he said.
“The calibre of men and women in the party is capable of restoring the country back to prosperity.”
In what is seen as a strategic shift that could reshape Ekiti’s political scene, several influential aides and allies of former governors Ayodele Fayose, Kayode Fayemi, and Segun Oni have also defected to the ADC.
This move casts uncertainty over Oyebanji’s reelection bid. It’s particularly noteworthy given that all three former governors; Fayemi, Fayose, and Oni had previously endorsed Oyebanji’s candidacy for 2026.
Now, however, several of their former key associates are throwing their weight behind the ADC. Among the high-profile defectors present at the unveiling were: Prof. Kolapo Eleka (former Deputy Governor under Fayose), Dipo Anisulowo (former Chief of Staff), Modupe Alade (ex-Secretary to the State Government), and Gbenga Faseluka (former Head of Service), alongside other notable political figures.
