Arowolo described Bankole as the best to lead the party to victory in the state in view of his antecedents, qualities, and vision.

Bankole emerged as the SDP governorship candidate in the party’s primary election held on Saturday after two other aspirants, Mr. Peter Adesina and Mrs. Adesola Dada, stepped down for him.

The Chairman of the Ekiti SDP Primary Election Committee, Mr. Gabriel Akinloye, who declared Bankole winner of the primaries, commended the sportsmanship of the two other aspirants and urged them to work with the party’s candidate to ensure victory during the governorship poll.

SDP State Chairman, Ayodele Bamikole, said that the process of the primary election and the candidate’s emergence was “transparent and followed due process, in line with the constitution of the party and that of the country.”

Arowolo, in a statement in Ado Ekiti on Monday, said, “SDP has produced a candidate with the virile, versatile, and transformative ability to improve Ekiti State. Engr. Bankole is known for his creativity and transformative ability to reshape Ekiti State.”

The SDP chieftain, who said that the SDP’s principle of justice, equity, and transparency guided the party’s primary process, added, “We are confident that Bankole is the best candidate to lead Ekiti State in 2026.”

He congratulated the SDP candidate, Bankole, on the achievement and wished him well in the forthcoming gubernatorial election.

Arowolo urged all SDP members and supporters, as well as Ekiti people, to rally behind Bankole, emphasizing the importance of unity and collective effort in securing victory for the party.

Candidates of the major parties interested in contesting the June 20, 2026 Ekiti governorship election are already emerging.

The Independent National Electoral Commission had fixed between October 20 and November 10, 2025, for party primaries, while each of the parties has till January 12, 2026, to perfect who its candidate is, as the national electoral umpire will publish the final list of candidates on January 19, 2026.