By Oludamisi Ojo.
The All Progressives Congress (APC), a candidate in June 18 governorship election in Ekiti State, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, has expressed delight over the choice of Mrs. Monisade Afuye, as his running mate.

Afuye, who hails from Ikere Ekiti, the second-largest city in Ekiti, was nominated by party leaders last weekend to run a joint ticket with Oyebanji for the poll.

Speaking while making his first public appearance with his running mate, during a ‘thank you visit’ to the Ikere Local Government Area, on Wednesday, Oyebanji described Afuye as a strong grassroots politician with immense admiration among Ekiti APC members and state in general.

Oyebanji thanked APC members for their support during the party’s primary.

He described Afuye as a committed party member and community leader.

The APC Candidate also appreciated the people of Ikere- Ekiti for presenting their precious daughter as his partner in the APC ticket.

His words” In all the local governments we have visited, what we are doing is to appreciate our people for standing by us during the January 27 primary. This is not yet a political campaign as INEC is yet to open the space for the campaign.

“I can understand the reason for the ceremonial mood in Ikere because we are in the local government of our deputy governorship candidate who is joining us on the thank you visit for the first time.

“We appreciate Chief (Mrs) Afuye for accepting this offer. I must also commend the people of Ikere- Ekiti for releasing her to join me as a partner as we embark on the move to make Ekiti State greater. Ikere has always been the home of the progressives and we will continue to sustain that relationship”.

The leader of the team and Chairman, Ekiti State Local Government Service Commission, Chief Alaba Bejide, hailed the party members for their support during the primary election and urged them to make sure they validate their PVC before June 18 to be able to vote for Oyebanji.

According to him, the primary election was just a phase, the coming campaign is another phase, but the biggest assignment before us is the June 18 election. It is through the election we would be able to use our votes to elect Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji as Governor of Ekiti State”

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He noted that with the new electoral law, they might need to go back and do face capturing because fingerprint may not be the only means of identification and authentication during the June 18 election.

Bejide said” It is only when we have all successfully done this that we can be sure of having a license to vote. Besides, our findings have revealed that many of us are yet to get our PVC, especially those who were not up to age 18 during the 2018 election.”

Also speaking, a former Chairman of the Party in the state, High Chief Jide Awe, urged those willing to work for Oyebanji’s victory to go back to their wards and mobilize members to get PVC as well as participate in the door-to-door electioneering campaign, saying all hands must be on deck for the success of the party at the governorship poll.