| Post: | Governor |
| Body: | Ekiti State |
| Insigniasize: | 100 |
| Insigniacaption: | Seal of Ekiti State |
| Flag: | Ekiti_State_Flag.gif |
| Flagsize: | 125 |
| Flagcaption: | Flag of Ekiti State |
| Incumbent: | Biodun Oyebanji |
| Incumbentsince: | 16 October 2022 |
| Department: | Executive Branch of the Ekiti State Government |
| Type: | |
| Member Of: |
|
| Residence: | Ekiti State Government House |
| Seat: | Ado-Ekiti |
| Appointer: | Direct popular election or via succession from deputy governorship |
| Termlength: | Four years |
| Termlength Qualified: | renewable once |
| Constituting Instrument: | Constitution of Nigeria |
| Inaugural: | Mohammed Bawa |
| Deputy: | Deputy Governor of Ekiti State |
The governor of Ekiti State is the head of government of Ekiti State in Nigeria. The governor is the head of the executive branch of the Ekiti State Government. The governor has a duty to enforce state laws and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Ekiti State House of Assembly, to convene the legislature and grant pardons.
When Ekiti State was created from Ondo State in 1996, Colonel Mohammed Bawa was appointed its first governor. Kayode Fayemi served the longest term as governor, serving for two non-consecutive terms of 4 years from 2010 to 2014, and from 2018 to 2022.[1] [2]
Since the creation of the state in 1996, 7 people have served as governor, 2 military governors and 5 civilian governors. Two people, Ayo Fayose and Kayode Fayemi served two non-consecutive terms in office. Excluding acting governors, Navy Captain Atanda Yusuf served the shortest term in office of 9 months.
The current governor is Biodun Oyebanji, he was sworn in on 16 October 2022.[3]
Ekiti State was created on 1 October 1996 and General Sani Abacha appointed Mohammed Bawa as military administrator on 7 October 1996.
| Administrator | Term of office | Party | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | Name | Took office | Left office | Time in office | |||
| 1 | Colonel Mohammed Bawa | 7 October 1996 | 7 August 1998 | Military | |||
| 2 | Navy Captain Atanda Yusuf | 7 August 1998 | 29 May 1999 | ||||
See main article: Fourth Nigerian Republic. Under the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the governor is both head of state and government. The governor is elected for a four-year term. In the event of a vacancy, the deputy governor would serve as acting governor.
| Governor | Term of office | Political party | Elected | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | Name | Took office | Left office | Time in office | |||||
| 3 | Otunba Niyi Adebayo | 29 May 1999 | 29 May 2003 | years | Alliance for Democracy | 1999 | |||
| 4 | Ayo Fayose | 29 May 2003 | 16 October 2006 | Peoples Democratic Party | 2003 | ||||
| – | Chief Friday Aderemi | 16 October 2006 | 19 October 2006 | Peoples Democratic Party | |||||
| – | Brigadier General Tunji Olurin | 19 October 2006 | 27 April 2007 | Peoples Democratic Party | |||||
| – | Tope Ademiluyi | 27 April 2007 | 29 May 2007 | Peoples Democratic Party | |||||
| 5 | Olusegun Oni | 29 May 2007 | 17 February 2009 | Peoples Democratic Party | 2007 | ||||
| – | Tunji Odeyemi | 17 February 2009 | 6 May 2009 | Peoples Democratic Party | |||||
| 5 | Olusegun Oni | 6 May 2009 | 15 October 2010 | Peoples Democratic Party | 2009 | ||||
| 6 | Kayode Fayemi | 16 October 2010 | 16 October 2014 | years | Action Congress of Nigeria | ||||
| 7 | Ayo Fayose | 16 October 2014 | 16 October 2018 | years | Peoples Democratic Party | 2014 | |||
| 8 | Kayode Fayemi | 16 October 2018 | 16 October 2022 | years | All Progressives Congress | 2018 | |||
| 9 | Biodun Oyebanji | 16 October 2022 | Incumbent | All Progressives Congress | 2022 | ||||