…as Oyebanji sweeps Ekiti governorship poll
By Ime Silas
With all 16 local government areas declared and the numbers finalized, Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji has secured a historic second term in Ekiti State, and the prophecy released by Prophet Ekong Ituen on February 3, 2026 has resurfaced with renewed attention across the state.
In a statement dated February 3, 2026 and widely circulated, the cleric had declared: “Mr Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji, will win June 20, 2026 Gubernatorial election in Ekiti State, as reflected in the spiritual realm. It should be noted that his victory is not about the power of incumbency, but the plan of God for Ekiti people. I therefore urge candidates of other political parties to prepare their congratulatory messages in anticipation of the result.”
That prophesy played out at the polls yesterday as Oyebanji swept every LGA, polling 319,224 votes. The PDP candidate managed 40,543 votes while ADC trailed with 12,872. The margin was not close. It was a landslide that gave the APC governor every council in Ekiti, a feat no governor has achieved since the return of democracy in 1999.
For a state known for rejecting sitting governors regardless of performance, the result has sparked debate about what changed in the electorate’s calculation this time.
Prophet Ituen’s February declaration emphasized that Oyebanji’s victory would stem from “the plan of God for Ekiti people” rather than the advantages of incumbency. That framing has become a talking point among political observers who note that Ekiti voters have a history of sending even well-performing governors home after one term. The governor’s ability to hold the state through two elections back-to-back breaks that pattern.
The cleric is not new to high-profile political predictions in Nigeria. His #FromTheArchives posts show a track record of pre-election statements that later drew public reference.
In July 2018, days before Ekiti went to the polls, Prophet Ituen’s prophetic declaration was published in DailyTimes of July 7, 2018, Page 15: “Dr Kayode Fayemi of APC will win the July 14, 2018 governorship election in Ekiti State. I therefore urge the incumbent governor, Ayo Fayose to write his hand-over note in preparation to hand over to Fayemi as his successor.” Fayemi went on to win that election.
Ahead of the 2019 general elections, Prophet Ituen’s prophesies which affected multiple states became topical across the nation.
For instance, in the Daily Sun newspaper of December 22, 2018, Page 42, and in Vanguard of December 28, 2018, Page 25, Prophet Ituen declared that “the incumbent governors of Imo and Ogun State, Rochas Okorocha and Ibikunle Amosun will experience political humiliation that will make them irrelevant in their respective states after 2019 election.”
The same set of publications carried his prophecy that “David Umahi of PDP in Ebonyi State, Ben Ayade of PDP in Cross River State will win 2019 Governorship Elections in their respective States.” Both Umahi and Ayade won re-election.
Closer to state politics, the prophet also foresaw the 2019 Kogi governorship race. Thus, in Daily Times of November 8, 2019, Page 27 and Telegraph of November 9, 2019, Page 25, Prophet Ituen’s declaratios were published as follows: “Senator Dino Melaye will be defeated because in my revelation, I saw him descending from a ladder. Alhaji Yaya Bello will win governorship election in Kogi State.” Bello won that contest.
As the state turns to governance for the next four years, Prophet Ituen’s earlier charge to opposition candidates to “prepare their congratulatory messages” has become the reality of Ekiti politics this morning. Whether the result is viewed through the lens of divine plan, incumbency advantage, or voter satisfaction with four years of administration, one fact is settled: Oyebanji will remain in the Governor’s Office in Ado-Ekiti.
