Vice President Kashim Shettima has urged Ekiti State Governor Abiodun Oyebanji to raise the standard of governance and prioritise youth empowerment in his second term, warning him against disappointing the people who renewed his mandate. In a statement signed by Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media…...
Vice President Kashim Shettima has urged Ekiti State Governor Abiodun Oyebanji to raise the standard of governance and prioritise youth empowerment in his second term, warning him against disappointing the people who renewed his mandate.
In a statement signed by Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Office of the Vice President, on Friday, October 16, 2026, Shettima made the call while representing President Bola Tinubu at Oyebanji’s second-term inauguration in Ado-Ekiti.
The vice president said the governor must justify the confidence reposed in him by the electorate by improving public service delivery and paying attention to citizens whose concerns are often overlooked.
“Your Excellency, as the ceremonies end and the responsibilities of office reclaim the hours, remember the distinction the people have conferred upon you.
“They have examined your first term and entrusted you with their next four years. Honour that judgement by opening more doors for the young, raising the quality of public service and keeping faith with those whose voices are seldom heard at occasions such as this,” Shettima said.
He described Oyebanji’s re-election as a responsibility that requires greater commitment to the people, urging him to approach the next four years with the generosity of spirit that earned him victory and place the interests of Ekiti State above political disagreements.
Shettima also commended the governor for his leadership approach, citing his ability to listen, make difficult decisions and respect institutions as qualities that contributed to his electoral success.
Conveying Tinubu’s congratulations to Oyebanji and the people of Ekiti State, the vice president described the governor’s renewed mandate as “a triumph of democratic accountability and the labour by which trust is earned.”
He attributed the support enjoyed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Tinubu administration to Nigerians’ understanding of the need for economic reforms, saying the policies were introduced to secure the country’s economic survival.
“President Tinubu confronted fiscal burdens and structural distortions whose neglect would have inflicted greater injury on our country. Nigerians have endured the discomfort of difficult correction. Their patience deserves an economy that rewards work, expands opportunity and makes public resources answer more faithfully to public needs,” he said.
The vice president thanked Ekiti residents for renewing the APC government’s mandate, adding that the party must remain conscious of its responsibility to the electorate.
He also highlighted projects in the state, including roads connecting communities, renovated schools and health facilities, electricity expansion and the Ekiti Agro-Allied International Cargo Airport.
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“We have seen the evidence in roads connecting communities, renewed schools and health facilities, electricity reaching underserved areas and the possibilities opened by the Ekiti Agro-Allied International Cargo Airport,” Shettima said.
“These investments find their value in journeys shortened, businesses sustained and opportunities brought nearer to families. Ekiti has found in you a governor who understands that a state advances when its people advance,” he added.
Shettima noted that Ekiti had continued to contribute significantly to national development through its people and intellectual heritage, assuring the state of the Federal Government’s support.
Earlier, Oyebanji thanked God and the people of Ekiti State for their support, pledging to meet their expectations and sustain unity across the state.
He expressed appreciation to Tinubu for his support and partnership with the state, while acknowledging the contributions of his predecessors to Ekiti’s development.
The governor also thanked his opponents in the last election for their sportsmanship, stressing the need to preserve unity in the state.
Highlighting his administration’s achievements, Oyebanji said his government had prioritised workers’ welfare, infrastructure, electricity and healthcare delivery.
“Through our health insurance scheme, many have received medical care. We must continue on that trajectory. In agriculture, we have provided the inputs, and all necessary support has been given. We have improved schools; we have also enhanced security,” he said.
He acknowledged that more work remained to be done, promising further investments to improve residents’ welfare, with particular attention to education, skills development and vocational training.
“Our skilled workers contribute a lot to our progress; we must make them feel the presence of the government. We will also pursue reliable power for industries and enterprises,” Oyebanji added.
The governor also urged Ekiti residents to vote for the APC at all levels in the forthcoming general elections.