Photo: Governor Oyebanji of Ekiti State
Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has dissolved the State Executive Council in a sweeping cabinet shake-up, effective immediately.
The move is seen as part of a broader strategy by the governor aimed towards retaining his seat in the next gubernatorial election in 2026.
In a statement on Sunday, Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Habitat Adubiaro, said all affected Commissioners and Special Advisers must hand over to Permanent Secretaries or the most senior civil servants in their ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).
Governor Oyebanji thanked the outgoing officials for their contributions and wished them success in the future.
The move, however, leaves several high-profile officials untouched. The State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice remains in office, along with the Commissioners for Health and Human Services; Agriculture and Food Security; Education; Works; and Trade, Investment, Industry and Cooperatives.
The Special Adviser on Special Education and Social Inclusion and the Special Adviser on Lands, Survey and e-GIS also retain their positions.
Directors-General serving as members of the Executive Council will continue in their roles, including those heading the Office of Transformation and Service Delivery (OTSD), the Sustainable Development Goals and Project Monitoring unit, and the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP).
The shake-up marks one of the boldest political moves of Oyebanji’s tenure and signals possible changes ahead in the state’s governance strategy.
While the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state has been weakened in recent years, particularly after the 2023 presidential elections, there are concerns that the All Democratic Coalition could shake things up in the next election.
Off-cycle elections, as in Ekiti and Edo, among others, are usually opportunities for ruling parties and opposition to flex their muscles ahead of the major elections.
