Political analyst Obafemi George has predicted an easy victory for Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji in Saturday’s governorship election, arguing that the incumbent enjoys overwhelming political support, a strong grassroots structure and weak opposition challengers.
Speaking during an interview on ARISE News on Saturday during coverage of the Ekiti governorship election, George dismissed suggestions that the contest would be closely fought, insisting that the momentum remained firmly with the incumbent governor.
“It would be an easy election for him. I don’t see the PDP candidate and the ADC candidate really being a major threat,” George said.
According to him, Oyebanji is uniquely positioned in Ekiti politics because he has secured the backing of former governors across party lines.
“This is the first time that you have a candidate in Ekiti State that has the support of all the previous governors,” he said.
George attributed the governor’s strength to his long-standing involvement in the state’s political landscape, noting that Oyebanji had built extensive networks over the years despite not previously being viewed as a frontline political figure.
“He was chief of staff to Otunba Adebayo in 2003. Even though he hasn’t been that popular. I think he was even the secretary of the state government, of the creation of the state at a point. So he’s been a player for a long time.
“So he has his secret tentacles all over the place,” he added.
The political analyst argued that Oyebanji’s grassroots reach and the dominance of the All Progressives Congress (APC) across local political structures would make it difficult for rival candidates to mount a serious challenge.
“But he has his tentacles in the grassroots. And you see, politics is local. And that’s what is working for him.
“Honestly, for him, it’s actually going to be a walk in the park.”
George also questioned the capacity of the opposition candidates to attract significant voter support, pointing to what he described as structural weaknesses in their campaigns.
“The PDP candidate, Dr. Wole Oluyede, some grassroots people mocked him as a diaspora politician that is not based in Ekiti. You can’t just fly in from Australia. And just come and win the election like that,” he said.
On the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, he said: “Ambassador Bejide, who has been in the game for a long time, is a veteran politician. So he’s an experienced politician. But however, the structure is not there. He’s running on the platform of ADC.
“ADC is a new party in Ekiti. And whether you like it or not, those things count when it comes to election. Structure counts.”
George further stressed that the APC’s control of political structures across the state would provide a major advantage for the governor.
“APC controls all the local government. They control all the wards. And that’s what really gives you leverage when it comes to election,” he said.
While acknowledging that elections should never be taken for granted, George maintained that Oyebanji’s campaign had approached the contest with seriousness despite the governor’s strong position.
“He’s been campaigning as if, you know what, his whole life depended on it,” he said.
George concluded that if Oyebanji secures victory, he would achieve a historic feat in Ekiti politics.
“If he wins, it will be a record that he’ll be the first Ekiti governor to win back to back election,” he said.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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