A new voice is attempting to turn generational frustration into electoral momentum in Ekiti State. Blessing Abegunde, the youngest governorship candidate in the upcoming Ekiti election, didn’t just announce his platform in a recent radio interview, he launched a full-throated indictment of the status quo.
Speaking on Adamimogo 105.1FM, the New Nigerian People’s Party (NNPP) standard-bearer framed the 2026 race not merely as a contest of candidates, but as a referendum on Nigeria’s entire political direction.
“What Is The Value of 800,000 Naira?”
While national figures debate tax reforms and economic policy, Abegunde brought the conversation back to the harsh realities on the ground. Questioning the federal government’s approach, he pointed to the removal of fuel subsidies and rising costs as policies that have left ordinary citizens behind.
“People are not finding it easy. Businesses are going home,” he said, his voice blending critique with campaign trail urgency. He challenged the notion that new taxes would only affect the wealthy, asking pointedly: “They make 800,000 Naira a month, but what is the value?”
Beyond economics, Abegunde’s confidence stems from what he sees as the unraveling of his opponents. He highlighted ongoing court cases dogging the ruling APC and referenced INEC’s explosive allegation that another party forged its primary election documents.
“I am the only certified candidate, legally going into this election,” he claimed, positioning himself as the clean alternative in a muddled field. He brushed aside rumors of his camp collapsing into the APC, asserting instead that disillusioned voters from major parties would flock to his side.
He invoked a Yoruba proverb about the differing sightlines of the old and the young, then turned it on its head. In today’s digital world, he argued, the youth see further. “What we are seeing is far better than what they see,” he stated, framing the election as a choice between a stagnant past and a tech-savvy future.
But the question remains: Can a party with little electoral history in Ekiti, led by a political newcomer, convert this energy into votes? Abegunde pointed to the precedent of former Governor Ayodele Fayose, who won without prior office. “It’s not about structure alone,” he implied. “It’s about message.”
With barely 6 months to go, Abegunde’s campaign is betting that Ekiti’s voters especially its restless youth are ready to look beyond traditional loyalties. His interview was less a polite presentation of plans and more a declaration of a political insurgency.
Whether this insurgency can survive the formidable machinery of established parties will be one of the defining stories of Ekiti’s 2026 election. For now, the youngest man in the race has made it clear: he isn’t just running to participate. He’s running to reset the conversation.
