By Law Ibitoye
The Ekiti State Government has unveiled a 17-day programme of activities to mark the inauguration of Governor Biodun Oyebanji and his Deputy, Chief (Mrs.) Monisade Afuye, for a second term in office.
The Chairman of the Second-Term Inauguration Planning Committee and Chief of Staff to the Governor, Mr Adeniyi Adebayo, disclosed this on Thursday in at a press conference in Ado Ekiti, saying the activities would run from October 2 to 18, 2026.
Adebayo said the main inauguration ceremony would hold on Friday, October 16, at the Ekiti Parapo Pavilion, Ado-Ekiti, from 10 a.m., followed by a state banquet at the Government House. Other major events include a Juma’at Thanksgiving on October 2, Ekiti Future Summit on October 7, eight-hour Sacrifice of Praise on October 9, elderly citizens’ programme on October 12, State of the State Address on October 13, command performance on October 14 and a Thanksgiving Service on October 18.
Reviewing the administration’s first-term performance, Adebayo said the government had implemented projects under its six-point agenda covering governance, infrastructure, agriculture, youth development, arts and culture, and human capital development.
He listed the Ekiti Agro-Allied International Cargo Airport, which commenced commercial operations in 2025, and over 500 kilometres of completed inter-state, inter-city and rural roads, including the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Flyover in Ado-Ekiti, among the major achievements.
On healthcare and education, he said more than 100 primary healthcare centres and all general hospitals had been renovated and equipped, while schools had also been upgraded with ICT laboratories and other facilities. He disclosed that the government spent N2.158 billion on WAEC examinations for about 69,000 students between 2023 and 2026 and distributed 12,400 free JAMB forms to students between 2023 and 2025.
In agriculture and youth empowerment, Adebayo said over 5,000 young people had been engaged in commercial agriculture through the Bring Back the Youth into Agriculture initiative, reportedly generating more than N2 billion in profits. He added that over N1 billion in credit and operational grants had reached 2,800 beneficiaries, while N400 million was provided as loans to 443 MSMEs and N450 million in grants to 10 agro-processing cooperatives.
He also disclosed that about 5,400 MSMEs benefited from free CAC registration, while Ekiti maintained the top position for nine consecutive quarters, from Q2 2024 to Q2 2026, in the State Fiscal Transparency League reports published by BudgIT Foundation.
Looking ahead, Adebayo said the second term would prioritise healthcare, electricity, roads, water supply, agriculture, human capital development and economic opportunities, based on consultations with stakeholders across the three senatorial districts.
He said the administration also planned to intensify rural development and target up to 1,500 kilometres of roads through various interventions and partnerships with development organisations.
The Chief of Staff assured residents that the government would sustain stakeholder engagement, improve service delivery and pursue its shared prosperity agenda during the second term.