By Ekunkonye Junior, Abuja
Otunba Olumuyiwa Babalola, has formally positioned himself as the leading governorship aspirant under the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for the 2026 Ekiti gubernatorial race, outlining a bold agenda to redefine governance, empower youth, and break the cycle of elite-dominated politics.
This was contained in a press statement he made available to newsmen in Abuja and Ekiti within the week.
The renowned diplomat and international development expert, in a series of recent statements and policy addresses across Ekiti State, emphasized that true development lies not in imitating megacities but in leveraging the strategic agility of smaller states like Ekiti.
“We are not constrained by bureaucracy. We are fueled by intellect,” he noted.
His roadmap includes embedding technology incubators in universities, building digital education pipelines, and offering a monthly N20,000 unemployment stipend to restore dignity and stabilize the economy.
In a groundbreaking policy proposal titled “No Ekiti Voice Left Behind,” Babalola called on INEC to pilot Nigeria’s first full Diaspora Voting Initiative during the 2026 Ekiti election. The plan offers a secure, tech-enabled system for Ekiti indigenes abroad to vote, emphasizing that “enfranchisement is no longer a favor, but a democratic necessity.”
On rejection of godfather endorsements,
he firmly rebuffed the recent political endorsements for the incumbent governor by past state leaders, describing them as “consensus politics” that marginalize voter voices.
“When leadership becomes a closed club, the people become spectators in their own democracy,” he said.
His campaign, rooted in grassroots mobilization, draws lessons from successful opposition wins in states like Oyo, Edo, and Osun.
His adaptive opposition model will include community-based vote-buying countermeasures, ward-level coordination, and digital campaign infrastructure.
“Money can’t defeat movement and if the people believe in the campaign, they will defend it with their votes,” he affirmed
Babalola continues to attract growing support from young voters, diaspora professionals, and civic-minded Ekiti citizens. His campaign’s rallying cry, “Ekiti to the World and South to the Front,” captures a movement determined to lead with courage, not comfort.
