Ekiti State Governor and candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Biodun Oyebanji, on Friday introduced a group of 5,000 community canvassers in Ekiti State to support his bid for another term and to mobilise voters ahead of the coming elections.
The inauguration took place in the state as preparations continue for the June 20, 2026 governorship election.
The canvassers were organised under the Person-to-Person Community Canvassing initiative. The programme was put together by the Bureau of Community Communications led by Mary Oso-Omotosho. Members of the group are expected to move across communities to persuade residents to vote for the governor, his running mate Monisade Afuye, and President Bola Tinubu.
During the event, Oyebanji thanked the volunteers for agreeing to take part in the mobilisation effort. He called on party supporters, opposition members and residents to maintain peace during the election period. According to him, political activities in the state should not lead to conflict among citizens.
The governor also urged the people of Ekiti to support the ruling party in the coming elections. He said strong voter turnout in the state would serve as appreciation for the support given to Ekiti by the Federal Government. He also expressed confidence that the APC would win the governorship election with a large margin.
Oyebanji further appealed to political contestants and opposition parties to conduct their campaigns in a responsible manner. He advised candidates to present their plans and programmes to the electorate and allow voters to make their own choices during the election.
He also called on residents who are eligible to vote to participate in the ongoing voter registration exercise conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission. According to him, registering and obtaining a Permanent Voter Card will allow them to take part in the governorship election.
The Director-General of the Bureau of Community Communications, Mary Oso-Omotosho, explained that the volunteers came from different parts of the state and joined the programme because of their support for the governor’s administration. She said their task is to engage residents directly in their neighbourhoods and communities.
According to her, each canvasser is expected to bring at least 25 voters in support of the governor during the election. If the target is achieved, the group is projected to deliver about 125,000 votes. She added that a vote-tracking website has been created to monitor the mobilisation process and record the number of voters reached by the canvassers.
The volunteers were drawn from different groups within the state, including community members, youths, artisans, traders, religious groups and members of the organised private sector. Their campaign approach will involve visiting homes, markets, places of worship and other public areas to speak directly with residents.
Several political figures attended the inauguration ceremony. Among them were the Deputy Governor, Monisade Afuye, the Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Adeoye Aribasoye, the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Niyi Adebayo, and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Political Matters, Jide Awe.
Representatives of Christian and Muslim communities as well as other local groups were also present at the event.