Ado-Ekiti, June 29, 2025 — Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji, has expressed strong confidence in the competence, capacity, and commitment of Senator Olubunmi Adetunmbi, following his confirmation by the Senate as the pioneer Chairman of the South West Development Commission (SWDC).
Governor Oyebanji described Senator Adetunmbi’s appointment and subsequent confirmation as a landmark development that signals a fresh dawn for the South West geo-political zone in its quest for accelerated, inclusive, and sustainable development.
In a statement issued in Ado-Ekiti by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Yinka Oyebode, the Governor applauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for nominating Adetunmbi, a seasoned public servant and development economist from Ifaki-Ekiti, to head the newly established Commission. He further commended the Nigerian Senate for promptly confirming the nomination, calling it a patriotic act that prioritizes national interest and regional advancement.
“This is indeed a proud moment for Ekiti State and the entire South West region,” Oyebanji said. “Senator Olubunmi Adetunmbi is not only a man of proven integrity and competence, but also someone whose experience in public service and private sector makes him eminently qualified for this pioneering role.”
The Governor noted that the SWDC, designed to serve as a catalyst for the socio-economic transformation of the South West, could not have come at a better time. According to him, the region has long yearned for a structured, region-specific development vehicle to address unique infrastructural, economic, and human capital challenges peculiar to the South West states.
“Senator Adetunmbi is stepping into this critical office with a solid track record of legislative excellence, economic foresight, and people-centred advocacy,” the Governor added. “His confirmation is a clarion call to duty, a mandate to take the South West to a new height of regional integration, economic resilience, and infrastructure modernization.”
Governor Oyebanji also congratulated another illustrious Ekiti son, Mr. Deji Ajijola, who was confirmed as a member of the SWDC Board. He described Ajijola’s inclusion as yet another testament to the rich human capital endowment of Ekiti State and its growing prominence in national development discourse.
He charged both Adetunmbi and Ajijola to justify the immense confidence reposed in them by President Tinubu and the Nigerian people, urging them to distinguish themselves in service as they had done in previous assignments.
“Senator Adetunmbi’s pedigree as a former two-term senator representing Ekiti North Senatorial District, coupled with his extensive experience in development policy, makes him a perfect fit for this new role,” Oyebanji emphasized. “He is expected to hit the ground running and initiate strategic, transformative projects that will consolidate the South West’s status as a pacesetter in Nigeria.”
Governor Oyebanji further outlined key expectations for the Commission under Adetunmbi’s leadership, noting that the SWDC must focus on priority areas such as agriculture and agro-industrial value chains, power and water infrastructure, youth empowerment, job creation, transport and road networks, as well as regional trade facilitation.
According to the Governor, these sectors hold the key to unlocking the economic potential of the South West, bridging developmental gaps, and promoting equitable growth across the region’s urban and rural areas.
“Let me use this opportunity to urge Senator Adetunmbi to approach this assignment with a deep sense of responsibility, humility, and the fear of God,” Oyebanji added. “This is not just another appointment—it is a generational assignment. He must be driven by an unrelenting desire to make a difference, especially in the lives of ordinary citizens who look up to this Commission as a harbinger of hope and renewal.”
He concluded by reaffirming the support of the Government and people of Ekiti State for Adetunmbi and other board members of the SWDC, assuring them of all necessary cooperation to ensure the success of their mandate.
With the formal constitution of the SWDC board, stakeholders and analysts across the South West have expressed optimism that the Commission, under Senator Adetunmbi’s chairmanship, will not only bridge the developmental divide but also serve as a model of regional integration, efficiency, and people-first governance in Nigeria.
