The Ekiti State Government has dismissed allegations by the Wole Oluyede Campaign Organisation that it spent ₦25 million to manipulate a media outlet over the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) governorship election candidate list. In a statement issued by Commissioner for Information Taiwo Olatunbosun, the government described the claim as baseless and lacking evidence. No specific media outlet or financial transaction was cited in support of the allegation. The statement questioned the logic of spending such an amount on media manipulation when official government and INEC platforms provide free and verified information.
Governor Biodun Oyebanji's administration highlighted its achievements, including road and bridge rehabilitation, improvements in education and healthcare, youth empowerment initiatives, and enhanced security. The government cited independent assessments that ranked Ekiti State first in fiscal transparency with a perfect 39/39 score in Q4 2025, 100/100 in public finance management, and top position in the 2026 Subnational Audit Efficacy Index. It noted that all local government and LCDA budgets are publicly published. The administration urged political actors to engage in fact-based discourse rather than making unsubstantiated claims.
Governor Biodun Oyebanji's swift rebuttal of the ₦25 million media manipulation claim reveals a calculated effort to position his administration as transparent and above political theatrics. By highlighting Ekiti's top-tier fiscal ratings and digital governance systems, the government is not merely denying an allegation—it is reinforcing a brand of technocratic leadership that contrasts sharply with typical Nigerian political noise.
The context here is critical: with the 2026 governorship election looming, opposition figures like Wole Oluyede are scrambling for traction in a state where the ruling party has built a strong narrative of effective governance. The lack of specific details in the allegation—no named media house, no transaction trail—makes it easy to discredit, but its mere circulation suggests a growing pressure to challenge Oyebanji's image of competence. The administration's emphasis on published budgets and audit indices isn't accidental; it's a shield against misinformation.
For ordinary Ekiti residents, particularly taxpayers and public service users, this exchange underscores the value of verifiable governance. They are the beneficiaries of rehabilitated roads and transparent budgets, and they stand to lose if political discourse shifts from performance to propaganda.
This episode fits a broader trend in Nigerian politics: the use of unverified claims as low-cost campaign tools, countered by data-driven governance narratives. In Ekiti, the battle is no longer just for votes—it's for credibility.
