B๐ฒ ๐ รฉ๐ฆ๐ข ร๐ฌ๐๐ง
As Ekiti State approaches the pivotal juncture of its 2026 governorship contest, political discourse has regrettably descended into a cacophony of untempered invective, an arena where entitlement masquerades as principle and grievance is weaponised rather than reasoned.
Several scenes have played out repeatedly on social media platforms, trenchant laments about โmoney politics,โ cries of โentitlementโ at every gesture of compassion, and the recycled assertion that โendorsements cannot win elections.โ Yet beneath this veneer of sophistry lies a deeper malaise which is the refusal to acknowledge progress when it is manifest, coupled with a reflexive drive to devalue the very notion of public service.
๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ข๐ซ๐๐ ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ง๐ข๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ
A recurring refrain has declared that Ekiti elections are โwon by stipends and riceโ rather than โideas or competence.โ Such pronouncements betray a false equivalence, suggesting that the electorate, whether โeducatedโ or โuneducated,โ is compelled by base appetites rather than enlightened selfโinterest.
This stance not only insults the citizenry but obscures the multifaceted drivers of voter behaviour, tangible improvements in infrastructure, social investment, and the palpable uplift in daily livelihoods under the current administration. To dismiss these achievements as mere โtransactional politicsโ is to disregard the genuine hope that underpins popular support.
๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐ญ๐ฅ๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐๐ฒ
Funny enough, some critics wearing the mantle of โrealismโ have admonished wellโmeaning interventions of government, such as the recent gift of a brand new motorcycle worth over 1.5 million naira to one Mr. Ilesanmi, whose old bike was stolen, was insufficient, demanding โa car or something more valuableโ as the rightful recompense. Herein lies the entitlement fallacy, which speaks to the insatiable expectation that every act of magnanimity must be eclipsed by grander gestures. Yet leadership is measured not by the ostentation of gifts but by the consistency of compassion.
In rebuking those who question the scale of such gestures, we remind ourselves that progress is often incremental and that wisdom counsels gratitude alongside aspiration.
๐๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐๐ขz๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐จ๐ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ
Another strain of commentary alleges that the Governor โbegs for endorsements,โ misunderstanding the principle that ongoing validation by diverse constituencies, from healthโcare professionals to market women and many other groups and associations, serves as both a barometer of public confidence and a democratic affirmation.
Endorsements, far from transactional rituals, signify the symbiosis between policy outcomes and popular will. To trivialise them as mere โPR stuntsโ is to conflate genuine grassroots support with manufactured spectacle, eroding the very foundations of participatory governance.
๐ ๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฎ๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐ช๐ฎ๐
If one professes the higher ground of โconstructive criticism,โ then let such critique attend both the strides made and the lacunae that remain. A true realist does not deride every harvest because some weeds persist; rather, they commend the tilling of fertile soil while urging vigilance against complacency.
In Governor Oyebanjiโs case, priorities such as rural electrification, inclusive education, and agrarian innovation merit both commendation and continual refinement. The test of civic maturity lies not in perpetual faultโfinding, but in offering targeted, evidenceโbased recommendations that advance the public good.
๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฏ๐๐ญ๐๐ ๐๐ข๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ ๐ฎ๐
As the political temperature rises, Ekiti stakeholders must resist the siren song of simplistic narratives. Democracy demands that praise and critique be calibrated by fact, empathy, and the collective aspiration for a more prosperous state.
Let every voice that proclaims โrealismโ demonstrate its sincerity by acknowledging accomplishments, celebrating the dignity of service, and proposing solutions that extend beyond mere denunciation. Only then can Ekiti navigate its crossroads with the deliberative grace that true statesmanship requires.
Ekiti journey toward sustainable development is neither linear nor immune to challenges. Yet the reflexive recourse to cynicism and the unbounded hunger for everโgreater proofs of benevolence threaten to derail the meaningful progress that has been achieved under the leadership of Governor Biodun Oyebanji. It is incumbent upon both leaders and critics alike to elevate the tenor of discourse, embracing a shared responsibility that stems from judging with fairness, praising with discernment, and to critique with constructive intent. In so doing, Ekiti will not merely weather the storms of politicking but will emerge strengthened, united by a vision that transcends factional rancour and affirms the enduring value of purposeful governance which by all indications Ekiti people are ever ready to enjoy till 2030 under the visionary leadership of Governor Biodun Oyebanji.
