A former secretary to the state government in Ekiti State, Ambassador Dare Bejide, has declared his intention to contest the 2026 governorship election under the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Bejide, a former Nigeria’s ambassador to Canada made this known at the weekend in Ado-Ekiti, during the occasion of his 66th birthday ceremony.
The aspirant, who recently defected to the ADC, explained that he has the experience and wherewithal to contribute meaningfully to the development of the state.
He lamented that the present administration under Governor Biodun Oyebanji in the last three years has failed to provide the needed good governance to the people, especially in the area of social service, road Infrastructures and economic prosperity through industrialization.
He expressed optimism that the ADC would defeat the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the June 20, 2026 governorship election over what he described as the lacklustre performance of the APC government.
Bejide disclosed that, “Having regard to my antecedents, I believe I can still do more for the people in terms of the empowerment of the people, particularly the youths and the vulnerable women.
“It’s like the present administration of APC has abandoned those two areas, empowerment of the youths and the women and when you look at the demography of the state, when you combine the number of women and the youths together, they are more than the rest.
“So, if a government does not reckon with such a large population, it shows that the government is not in touch with the reality of the situation on the ground. I will pay more attention to their development.
On how the new ADC platform will dislodge the ruling party, he said, “Strange things will happen in Ekiti soon because we have influx of people coming to ADC every day, especially from APC and the PDP. Let me say, once I get the mandate of the party, I will defeat the incumbent governor.”
