On Sunday, June 19, Biodun Oyebanji was declared the winner of the June 18 governorship election in Ekiti state by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The APC governorship candidate polled a total of 187,057 votes to defeat his two closest challengers, Segun Oni of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Bisi Kolawole of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Beyond being a former Secretary to the Government of Ekiti State under the Fayemi administration, here is some other key information about the new governor of Ekiti state.
Oyebanji’s Background/Education;
Oyebanji, who referred to himself as Ekiti homeboy, was born on December 21, 1967, in lkogosi-Ekiti.
The Ekiti state governor began his academic journey at Baptist primary school, Ikogosi-Ekiti.
He attended Awo Community High school before transferring to C.A.C Grammar school, Efon-Alaaye, Ekiti State in 1979, and later attended the Federal school of Art and Science, Ondo State, and the District Commercial Secondary School, Aramoko-Ekiti from 1983 to 1985.
Oyebanji acquired a Bachelor of Science (BSc.) degree in Political Science from the Ondo State University (now Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti) in 1989 and continued his quest for honours at the University of Ibadan, Oyo State, in 1992, where he bagged his masters’ Degree (M.Sc) in Political Science (International Relations & Strategic Studies).
Abiodun Oyebanji: Professional career
The former SSG started his professional career as a Lecturer at the Department of Political Science, University of Ado Ekiti, where he worked for four years (1993-1997).
He later transited to the corporate sector and proceeded to work as Manager, Treasury, and Financial Service at the defunct Omega Bank Plc (now Heritage Bank) till May 1999.
Oyebanji is engaged in Agribusiness and is the chairman of Con Dois Farms LTD.
Ekiti governor’s political journey/public service;
The new governor of Ekiti state has been involved in public service for over 25 years now.
His first foray into public service was when he served as the Secretary set up for the creation of Ekiti State in 1994 when he was just 27 years old. He also, at some point, served as the Secretary of the Ekiti State Development Fund.
When Nigeria returned to Democratic governance in 1999, the newly sworn-in Ekiti state governor (32 years old then) was appointed one of the key aides to the first democratically elected governor of the state, Otunba Niyi Adebayo.
Oyebanji rose to become the Chief of Staff to the governor of the state.
Oyebanji’s specific political appointments:
- Special Assistant (Parliament Affairs) to the Governor of Ekiti State (8th June 1999-2000)
- Special Adviser (Parliament Affairs) to the Governor of Ekiti State (1st Aug. 2000-Sept. 2001)
- Chief of Staff to the Governor of Ekiti State (September 2021-May 29, 2003);
- Chairman, Governing Board, Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre, Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development (June 2009-December 2010);
- Commissioner, Ministry of Integration and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Ekiti State (23rd December 2010-December 2011);
- Head, Office of Transformation Strategy and Delivery (OTSD), Ekiti State ( December 2011-9th January 2013);
- Commissioner, Ministry of Budget, Economic Planning and Service Delivery, Ekiti State (10th January 2013-16th October 2014);
- Secretary, Ekiti State Government (16th October 2018- December 7, 2021).
Here is what Oyebanji recently said about his political experience:
“If I get the governorship ticket and win, I will be the first homeboy to be Ekiti governor. I schooled here in Ekiti from primary, secondary and up to the university level. I got a solid tutelage from Niyi Adebayo for four years and seven years under Governor Fayemi.
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Out of the 25 years of the creation of this State, I have received 11 years of experience as a public servant. If other aspirants come to you, ask them where they got their pupilage from to be able to do well as a governor. During the creation of Ekiti State in 1996, I was barely 27 years and I served as the Secretary of the Committee for the creation of our dear state.”
Biodun Oyebanji’s marriage
Oyebanji is married to Professor Olayemi Jumoke Abiodun-Oyebanji, an indigene of Ado-Ekiti.
Olayemi, a princess from Ado Ekiti, is an associate professor at the prestigious University of Ibadan.
She is reported to be a seasoned scholar with over 80 publications in the field of Institutional Administration, Higher Education, and Quality Assurance in Education, Human Resource Development and Leadership in Education
