Ekiti SSG resigns amidst Fayemi’s alleged endorsement

The Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has accepted the resignation of Secretary to the State Government, Biodun Oyebanji, from his cabinet ahead of the 2022 governorship election.

The governor had last week given directives to members of his cabinet who were interested in contesting for the next year’s governorship poll to resign on or before December 18.

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has fixed January 22, 2022, for the governorship primary to pick the party’s candidate, with the ongoing sale of nomination and expression of interest forms at the APC national secretariat in Abuja.

Already, there has been subtle campaigns and mobilization for the former SSG by the governor’s senior aides and associates which have been interpreted by many political watchers as the discreet endorsement of Fayemi.

However, his alleged endorsement has generated mixed reactions especially among cabinet members from the south senatorial district, who are insisting the zone should produce the next governor of the state, noting that the position has eluded the zone since 1999.

The governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Yinka Oyebode, in a statement on Tuesday said Oyebanji’s resignation was conveyed in a letter dated December 3 but, “takes effect from Tuesday, December 7th.”

He revealed that the former SSG “cited his decision to contest the forth-coming governorship election in the state for his resignation as secretary to the state government.

“Governor Fayemi in accepting Oyebanji’s resignation thanked the former SSG for his remarkable contribution to the administration since inception in 2018 and wished him well in his future endeavours.”

Oyebanji, from Ikogosi in the central senatorial district, was the secretary of the state’s creation committee at the age of 27 in 1996 and was chief of staff to former governor and present Minister of Trade, Industry and Investment, Chief Niyi Adebayo.

He equally served as commissioner for budget and economic development during Fayemi’s first term as governor between 2010 and 2014 and until his resignation, the SSG since 2018.

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