Women leaders and political stakeholders in Ekiti State have thrown their weight behind Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji ahead of the June governorship election, using the 2026 International Women’s Day platform to press for deeper investment in women as a driver of development.
The call came on Tuesday in Ado-Ekiti, where the Wife of the Governor, Dr Olayemi Oyebanji, led a high-level gathering of government officials, civil society actors, and development partners at the Ekiti Parapo Pavilion. The event, organised jointly by the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development and the Office of the First Lady, doubled as a rallying point for political continuity and gender-focused governance.
Dr Oyebanji set the tone early. She tied the state’s development trajectory to the empowerment of women, framing the 2026 campaign message, “Give to Gain,” as both a policy direction and a social contract. According to her, investments in women are not charity; they are economic strategy.
She also aligned the state’s direction with federal priorities, praising President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s designation of 2026 as the Year of Families and Social Development. She said the move signals a renewed focus on women, children, and vulnerable populations.
Beyond rhetoric, she pointed to ongoing programmes backed by the state government. These include partnerships with development agencies on initiatives such as the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment and the Nigeria for Women Programme Scale-Up. She added that her office, through the Widows, Aged and Orphans Hope Support Foundation, continues to deliver targeted support across communities.
With the election in view, her message sharpened. She urged women across the state to sustain their support for the administration, describing their participation as decisive in shaping Ekiti’s political future.
The Deputy Governor, Chief Monisade Afuye, reinforced that position. She credited the First Lady’s interventions for expanding opportunities for women and called for broader backing for the governor’s second-term ambition.
Former Senate Minority Leader, Senator Biodun Olujimi, went further, pushing for organised voter mobilisation among women. She argued that women remain a critical voting bloc capable of determining electoral outcomes if properly coordinated.
Other officials echoed similar sentiments. The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Dayo Apata (SAN), pledged institutional backing for gender-focused policies, while the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Olapeju Babafemi, detailed ongoing interventions. She cited empowerment schemes, financial support, and expanded access to education, alongside structured responses to gender-based violence that include medical, legal, and psychosocial care.
Adding a grassroots dimension, the Special Adviser on Gender Empowerment and Mobilisation, Kemisola Olaleye, called on female political actors to take the message beyond the conference hall and into local communities.
The keynote speaker, Professor Kemi Ogundana of Ekiti State University, framed the conversation in economic terms. She described “Give to Gain” as a practical blueprint, not a slogan, arguing that sustained investment in women improves productivity, strengthens families, and stabilises communities. She urged policymakers and private actors to scale up funding, mentorship, and advocacy.
By the close of the event, one message stood out. In Ekiti, the 2026 International Women’s Day celebration did not stop at speeches. It evolved into a coordinated push for political continuity, anchored on the belief that women sit at the centre of the state’s development equation.
