24 Dec 2025
The Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adeoye Aribasoye, has described the signing of the 2026 Budget alongside two other significant bills as a remarkable milestone that fittingly wraps up a fulfilling legislative year.
Speaking at the budget signing ceremony held at the Governor’s Office in Ado-Ekiti on Tuesday, Aribasoye explained that the successful scrutiny and assent to the N415.5 billion 2026 Appropriation Budget attest to the strong, productive, and mutually beneficial relationship between the Executive and the Legislature in Ekiti State.
According to him, “Today’s ceremony is not merely a constitutional formality; it is a testament to purposeful governance and institutional synergy. The assent granted by Your Excellency to these three important laws underscores our shared resolve to deepen reforms, strengthen institutions, and deliver measurable dividends of democracy to the people of Ekiti State.”
At the ceremony, Governor Biodun Oyebanji assented to the 2026 Appropriation Law, the Ekiti State College of Technology, Ijero-Ekiti Law, 2025, and the Ekiti State Revenue Administration Law, 2025.
Highlighting the completion of all statutory stages of the budget process, including pre-budget oversight, intensive legislative debates, public hearings, and budget defence by Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, Aribasoye stressed that budgeting goes beyond routine administration.
He said, "throughout this process, we placed a premium on transparency and accountability, ensuring that the standards set by best-in-class fiscal frameworks were meticulously adhered to.”
The 2026 budget provides N221.8 billion for recurrent expenditure and N193.6 billion for capital expenditure, reflecting the government’s commitment to both governance stability and infrastructural development.
The Speaker also highlighted Ekiti State’s pioneering role following the signing of the Ekiti State Revenue Administration Law, 2025, noting that Ekiti is the first state to pass and assent to the law.
He explained that the law recognizes the Ekiti State Internal Revenue Service as the sole agency responsible for revenue collection, with powers to delegate to MDAs where necessary while It also fully adopts electronic billing, payment, and receipt systems, thereby eliminating cash transactions and manual processes that encourage revenue leakages.
Aribasoye further spoke on the Ekiti State College of Technology, Ijero-Ekiti Law, which repeals the Ekiti State College of Health Sciences and Technology Law of 2019 and upgrades the institution from a monotechnic to a full-fledged polytechnic, expanding its academic scope and developmental impact.
According to him, the law provides a solid legal framework for the establishment and governance of the institution, outlines its academic programmes, accreditation processes, and affiliations with relevant regulatory bodies, and defines sustainable funding mechanisms, including internally generated revenue.
The Speaker commended Governor Oyebanji for his visionary and result driven leadership, while also applauding members of the Ekiti State House of Assembly for their commitment and dedication to lawmaking aimed at promoting the progress and welfare of the state.
In his remarks, Governor Oyebanji appreciated the state assembly lawmakers for their tenacity in the budget process and other legislative activities, assuring that his administration will not relent in its drive to move the state to enviable heights.
The Executive Secretary, Joint Revenue Board, Olusegun Adesokan who graced the programme underlined the trailblazing revenue law as an affirmation of Governor Oyebanji's commitment to good governance, as well as the lawmakers' applaudable and undying interest in the well being of their constituents.
Babajide Agbeyo
Special Adviser (Media) to the Speaker, Ekiti State House of Assembly.
