Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has been absent from Nigeria for nearly two weeks, sparking concerns among citizens and political stakeholders. Oyebanji had left Nigeria on May 5, 2024, to attend the 16th edition of the US-Africa Business Summit in Dallas, Texas, which ended on May 9, 2024.
The governor was also scheduled to participate in the 19th session of the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF19) at the UN Headquarters in New York. However, there has been no official information or updates on his activities or meetings since the conference ended.
Oyebanji’s prolonged absence has raised questions about his whereabouts and activities, as well as the governance of the state in his absence. The governor’s phone number is reportedly switched off, and his special adviser on media, Yinka Oyebode, has not responded to calls or text messages seeking information on the governor’s whereabouts.
The development has also sparked political unrest in the state, with some stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) expressing concerns about the appointment of former Governor Ayodele Fayose’s loyalists into political offices.
The Concerned Ekiti APC Stakeholders, led by Prince Aderobaki Adeleye, have called on Governor Oyebanji to address the “anomaly” in the interest of the party’s survival. The group has also urged the governor to return to the state and attend to his duties.
The Ekiti State Government has yet to issue an official statement on the governor’s whereabouts or his expected return date, fueling speculations and concerns among citizens and political stakeholders.