Ekiti Governor Oyebanji Appoints SSG And CPS

Ekiti State Governor, South-West Nigeria, Biodun Oyebanji has appointed Dr. Habitat Adubiaro as the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and retained Mr. Yinka Oyebode as the Chief Press Secretary.

Gatekeepers News reports that this was contained in a statement by the Head of Service (HoS), Mr. Bamidele Agbede.

Adubiaro hails from Ado-Ekiti, she was a senior lecturer at the Department of Industrial Chemistry of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE).

She attended L. A. Primary School at Ikereku in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital; Igboora High School, Igboora, Oyo State, for her secondary education; the defunct Oyo State College of Arts and Science at Ile-Ife for her Higher School Certificate (HSC) between 1985 and 1987.

Dr. Adubiaro later attended the University of Ibadan (UI) in Oyo State where she bagged a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry in 1994; a Masters and doctorate in Food Chemistry at Ekiti State University in 2004 and 2010.

Oyebode was the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to Dr. Fayemi during his first term, the Special Adviser on Media when he was the Minister of Solid Minerals and CPS during his second term as Ekiti State governor.

He immediately froze all operational accounts of the state government with immediate effect.

The new helmsman said all financial officers in the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) must comply with the directive on the freezing of the accounts.

At the swearing-in of the governor, the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinibu, seven governors of the party, and other dignitaries attended the ceremony in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.

Kebbi State governor and Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (NGF), Atiku Bagudu, led the governors.

Other party chieftains and members from various walks of life also attended the event.

Also present were former Osun State Governor Bisi Akande, Governors Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (Ondo), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Adegboyega Oyetola (Osun), Abubakar Badaru (Jigawa) and Simon Lalong (Plateau).

Oyetola was represented by his deputy, Bendict Alabi; while Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki; the Minister of Trade, Industry and Investment, Otunba Niyi Adebayo; outgoing Ekiti State Deputy Governor Bisi Egbeyemi; the Speaker of Ekiti State House of Assembly, Funminiyi Afuye; former Chief of Defence Staff, General Gabriel Olonsakin, were also present.

Others are: ex-Governor Ayodele Fayose; former Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Azubike Iherijika; Senators Olamilekan Adeola (Yayi), Michael Bamidele, Musiliu Obanikoro, as well as the Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Political Matters, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, traditional rulers, amongst other, were also at the event.

Oyebanji was sworn in alongside the deputy, Chief Monisade Afuye, as the fifth democratically elected governor of Ekiti State by the Chief Judge, Justice Oyewole Adeyeye.

Hitherto, former Governor Kayode Fayemi had handed over the Pen of Authority to Oyebanji, which was the first time in the state’s political history.

In his inaugural speech, Oyebaji promised to run an all-inclusive government that would be just, equitable and fair to all, irrespective of religious and political inclinations.

The governor said his administration would focus on human capital development, good governance, agriculture and rural development, Arts, Culture and Tourism, infrastructure and industrialisation to transform the state to microcosm of development.

He hailed Fayemi for attracting development to the state, promising to consolidate the gains of the last administration.

Oyebanji also promised to take Ekiti to higher pedestals through socio-economic development.