Ekiti APC members reject Afuye as Oyebanji’s running mate

…Party spokesman disagrees, calls her competent, reliable

By Rotimi Ojomoyela

Ado-Ekiti — Members of the All Progressives Congress in Ekiti State under the auspices of the Concerned APC Patriots (CAP) have rejected the nomination of the Deputy Governor, Monisade Afuye, as the running mate of Governor Biodun Oyebanji for the 2026 gubernatorial election.

This was contained in a statement signed and made available to journalists in Ado Ekiti on Monday by the group’s convener, Joshua Ademola.

Ademola said that Afuye’s nomination was like putting a square peg in a round hole because she lacks the capacity for the office of the deputy governor.

The group noted that many critical functions that should be performed by the deputy in the absence of the governor, including representing Oyebanji at the various meetings in Abuja are either delegated to other officers of government or left unattended.

The statement reads, “We are of the view that in a state renowned for being one that parades most educated people, it has become embarrassing that someone whose educational qualifications are questionable is being paraded as the deputy governor.

“We believe that Afuye’s current election as deputy governor was a mistake which should not be allowed to repeat itself by making sure a more educated and capable individual is nominated to replace her.

“She has been a liability to the administration in the last three years, no positive contribution as expected from the deputy governor, which has been unsettling to the party and government.

“The position of a deputy governor is so strategic, apart from being a co-pilot with the governor; he/she can become governor in the absence of the governor, which is why the party cannot afford to nominate an unfit person for the position.

“We must state that we are not opposed to nominating another woman and we are not opposed to a nomination zoned to Ekiti South Senatorial District, nor are we opposed to micro zoning the position to Ikere Ekiti.”

They warned that nominating Afuye could have devastating adverse consequences for the party in the coming election and urged the party to scout for Afuye’s replacement.

In his reaction, the Publicity Secretary of APC in Ekiti State, Segun Dipe, described their statement as an opinion that doesn’t count, saying Afuye is competent, reliable and loyal.

He said, “What they are asking for is not possible because our current deputy governor is very competent, reliable and loyal. From the APC, we trust her and we couldn’t have wished for a better deputy governor for our performing governor.

“By the way, it is not the party that selects the deputy governor; it is beyond us.”

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