A coalition of over 130 Pan-Yoruba organisations under the aegis of the Alliance for Yoruba Democratic Movements (AYDM) has formally endorsed Governor Abiodun Oyebanji of Ekiti State for a second term in office.
Speaking at a conference held in Lagos on Thursday, the AYDM, the largest coalition of civil society and community-based organisations across the old Western Region, including parts of Kogi, Kwara, Delta, and Edo States described Oyebanji as a beacon of hope, not only for Ekiti State but for the entire Yoruba Nation and Nigeria at large.
Delivering the keynote address, renowned journalist and activist, Mr. Adewale Adeoye, applauded the growing trend of grassroots political mobilisation and the alignment of Yoruba groups toward a unified agenda.
He noted that the Southwest continues to grapple with systemic challenges stemming from the structure of the Nigerian state, as well as pressing issues such as food insecurity and moral decline. Despite this, Adeoye said he was encouraged by the visible progress in Ekiti under Governor Oyebanji’s leadership.
“He has made us proud in Yorubaland. He epitomises the true Omoluabi ethos. He stands tall among his peers. His support for regional integration is remarkable. He has recorded notable achievements in education, infrastructure, healthcare, agriculture, and transparent governance,” Adeoye stated.
The conference drew over 1,000 participants from across the Southwest. In a communiqué issued at the end of the two-day event signed by AYDM General Secretary, Popoola Ajayi, and other leaders the coalition announced the establishment of a Southwest Election Working Group (EWOG) to mobilise door-to-door campaigns across Ekiti once INEC officially opens the 2026 gubernatorial campaign window.
“We adopt the Governor of Ekiti State to strengthen a uniform political outlook for the Southwest. It is in the strategic interest of a people with shared history, culture, and civilisation to pursue a common political aspiration. This will promote regional integration and sustainable development,” said Ajayi.
The AYDM affirmed that elections in any part of the Yoruba ancestral region affect the collective destiny of all indigenous Yoruba people, regardless of where they reside.
According to the group, “Elections are a critical expression of our identity. What happens in one Yoruba state has implications for the entire region just like a cobweb where no thread can be pulled without affecting the whole.”
The coalition called for a renewed push toward political unification across the region under a common party platform, noting that historically, the people of the Old Western Region despite colonial and post-colonial administrative boundaries have always shared cultural, political, and economic ties.
It pledged to intensify mobilisation, civic education, and grassroots sensitisation in both urban and rural communities from the mountains to the seashores to ensure the election of leaders who are credible, accountable, and committed to the common good.
