As a way of demonstrating clear fraternity with one of their members in government, Celestial Church of Christ in Ekiti State, has declared readiness to back the re-election of Governor Biodun Oyebanji and his Deputy, Chief (Mrs) Monisade Afuye, in the June 20 governorship election.
The church members expressed joy over the performance rating of Governor Oyebanji and the way he had operated frictionlessly with Mrs Afuye, who is a top ranking member of the church, since the advent of the government on October 16, 2022.
Besides total endorsement of the Governor, the church leaders, promised to hold a statewide revival and thanksgiving to offer prayers and supplications for Oyebanji and his Deputy to emerge victorious in the poll and for Ekiti to witness an election devoid of crisis and bloodshed on June 20.
The CCC gave the declaration on Tuesday, during a courtesy visit by a powerful delegation of church leaders to the office of the Deputy Governor, in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State Capital.
Speaking on behalf of the delegation, a high profile church member and former Ekiti State Acting Governor, Rt Hon. Tope Ademiluyi, disclosed that the entire celestial church family are proud of the outstanding humility and loyalty being displayed by the Deputy governor.
Ademiluyi said the support for Oyebanji/Afuye joint ticket didn’t stem solely from the deputy governor’s membership of the church, but for the performance the two leaders have demonstrated in their first term, that was widely adjudged superlative by Ekiti residents.
We are very proud of the Deputy Governor as a member of the celestial Church of Christ, ditto Governor Biodun Oyebanji. In fact, the two of you are a perfect match for governance. Everybody knows that the two of you are well behaved and humble individuals.
“We are happy that you have done well and nobody has ever had any cause to settle any rift between you. We have been in politics in this state for a while and we knew the happenings in the past. Your government has done well to the extent that the opposition was giving you credit and saluting you.
In Ekiti today, nobody is being forced to endorse your second term ambition. It was being given freely. This is a hallmark of leadership.
“We are assuring you that on June 20, all the Celestial Church members that have reached adulthood will file out to vote for you. Your first term has been so excellent that the people were begging you to come and serve again. You have done well and we are confident that your second term will be better”.
Speaking for the youth wing of the church, Leader Yomi Oso, clarified that members haven’t committed any grave blunder for the endorsement, saying it was a clear way of supporting one of their own and show solidarity to a government that has performed creditably well.
Oso said the delegation comprises all the existing parishes in the state, which he said underscored how united the members were in their backing for the governor and his deputy.
In her submission, a member of the church and the Director General of the Ekiti State Bureau of Community Communication, Mrs Mary Oso Omotoso, added that the endorsement was freely given and not by coercion, saying other similar actions had been taken by some churches who have interest in the governor’s performance.
