…Olawumi’s claim is invalid, Oyebanji has made judicious use of State’s resources – CPS
Abimbola Olawumi, a governorship aspirant in Ekiti State, has accused Governor Biodun Oyebanji of mismanaging over ₦500 billion in federal allocations received by the State since 2023.
Olawumi, who picked the All Progressives Congress (APC) nomination form on Tuesday at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja, said she was prepared to challenge the incumbent in the forthcoming APC Governorship primaries.
“For now, I am the only challenger the incumbent is having,” she told journalists after completing the process.
“Why do I feel at this time it is important to challenge the status quo? Because what we feel is happening in Ekiti State is not right.
“Our roads, schools, hospitals, our infrastructure are nothing to write home about. And despite all the allocations coming to the state, there is nothing commensurate to show for it.”
She alleged that Oyebanji’s Government had squandered resources despite President Bola Tinubu’s administration providing unprecedented support to Ekiti.
“Since the president was inaugurated in 2023, the allocation coming to my State tripled.
“By the end of June 2025, when we analysed what had come in, we discovered the Oyebanji Administration had received over ₦500 billion in three years. But when you come to Ekiti State, you hardly find anything that reflects that,” Olawumi claimed.
According to her, ₦50 billion given to Ekiti last year for food security had not yielded any visible impact.
In a swift response to the allegations, Olayinka Oyebode, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Biodun Oyebanji refuted the claims, saying the governor is making judicious use of Ekiti’s resources.
Oyebode, who spoke to BusinessDay, said “I don’t know the source of her information and wouldn’t wan to join issue with her. All I will say is that Governor Biodun Oyebanji has made judicious use of the money that has come to Ekiti in the last two and a half years.
This is evident in the rapid rate of development across sectors in the State. Evidently, the State has witnessed a major surge in power and road infrastructure. No fewer than 35 intra-city and inter- township roads have been constructed or rehabilitated in the last two and a half years.
“While a good number have been commissioned and put to use, some are at different levels of completion. More new roads are also being flagged off as as the administration approaches third year. This is because the issue of infrastructure upgrade is key in the development agenda of the administration.
“The Government in partnership with the world bank is also building 1,000 kilometers of rural roads ( linking farms to the markets). 18 of such roads have at different stages of completion.
Within the period also, no fewer than 25 communities spread across four different Local Governments have their power issues fixed. Many of them were reconnected to the national grid, while some were given complete overhauling including laying of new cables, provision of metering device among others. Manny of these towns communities have been without power supply for between ten to fifteen years.
“The State also invested in IPP which now powers major Government institutions- style secretariat, Government House, teaching hospitals, street lights and powers some private concerns who patronise it.
“In the area of health care delivery, the Government embarked on a comprehensive renovation of all primary health care centres. As at date no fewer than 150 PHCs have been completely renovated and equipped with state-of-the-art medical equipment.
“Also, the Government has completed comprehensive renovation of 11 general hospitals with state of the art equipment while it also re- equipped the teaching hospitals In addition to building a new 80- bed amenities wing for the hospital .
“The free medical programme of the administration covers pregnant women, retirees, children under five years old, physically challenged and sickle cell carriers.
“The Government’s investment in agriculture development has brought about food surplus in the state as the state buys produce from farmers and store it for retail sales to residents at affordable prices.
“The performance of the BIodun Abayomi Oyebanji is out there and the statistics and recognition by institutions speak to the impact.
“The administration established the first adapted classrooms in public special schools for children with disabilities .
“Through the government efforts. In the health sector there is a remarkable reduction in under five mortality by 54% 95 per 1000 in 2019 to 44 per 1000 in 2024. Reduced infant mortality by 53% from 57 per 1000 in 2010 to 27 per 1000 in 2014.
“Ranked second Lowest among States with out of school children in Nigeria .There are some of the reasons the governor enjoys so much support from all the leaders across party lines.”
