By Yomi Ayeleso

Copyright tribuneonlineng

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State and former House of Representatives member, Honourable Bimbo Daramola, has dismissed claims that Governor Biodun Oyebanji is worried about the October 27 governorship primaries of the party in the state.

He said the governor has received support and endorsements from stakeholders across the party and the state and is positioned to win the APC primaries and the June 20, 2026 election.

Speaking with journalists in Ado-Ekiti on Wednesday, Daramola noted that while leaders can be criticised for decisions or policies, linking them to violence without evidence amounts to misinformation or mischief.

According to him, “Oyebanji is not jittery about anybody, he’s not anxious about everybody. If in this contest you’re talking about my friend and brother, Kayode Ojo, he knows himself. What has he told you he wants to do for Ekiti people?

“But I don’t want to talk too much about Kayode, because he’s my friend. I have tremendous respect for him, we have a charming relationship, so I’m not speaking like someone who doesn’t know him.

“The same way I accorded Governor Biodun Oyebanji respect when he was just an audience on the side, I will accord Kayode Ojo the same respect but I will speak to facts here.”

He expressed confidence that, regardless of the mode of primaries the party adopts, Oyebanji would emerge victorious due to his governance style over the past three years.

“A man who has said bring the primary on is afraid? Who is afraid? No! Let me tell you in every society there is the capacity to decide varies. We are in a society that has different levels of understanding, people of different kinds. You cannot tell me that at this level that I am here and you will cut me a little bit of slack,” he said.

Daramola, who represented Ekiti North Federal Constituency 1 between 2011 and 2015, said some individuals may have issued threats ahead of the primaries but stressed that such actions do not reflect the governor’s position.

He added that Governor Oyebanji has repeatedly stated his opposition to violence, most recently in a statewide broadcast.

The former lawmaker said, “Governor Oyebanji had spoken at different fora, warning people agents resorting to violence for whatever reason. I can cite many instances, I knew about his peace appeal at the last Udiroko, APC stakeholders meeting held at Iyin-Ekiti. The governor specifically did a statewide broadcast warning people against violence. So why are the people not talking about that?”

On the BAO Walk initiative he started earlier this year, Daramola explained that it has mobilised more than 30,000 residents across seven Local Government Areas and is self-funded, with no personal ambition other than to support Oyebanji’s second-term bid.

“My interest is Oyebanji, I can give anything for love. Yes, I can give anything for love. People who know me know that that is one of my strongest points,” he said.

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