By Peter Omopo
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Governor Biodun Oyebanji, winner of the Ekiti State governorship election held on Saturday, securing a second term in office.
The declaration was made in the early hours of Sunday by the Returning Officer for the election, Professor Adenike Oladiji, Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, at the INEC State Headquarters in Ado-Ekiti.
Announcing the final results, Oladiji stated that Oyebanji satisfied all constitutional requirements and was therefore returned elected.
According to the results released by INEC, Oyebanji polled 319,224 votes to defeat his closest challengers, Olumayokun Oluyede of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who secured 40,533 votes, and Dare Bejide of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), who garnered 12,872 votes.
INEC disclosed that the state had 988,251 registered voters, while 384,940 voters were accredited for the election. A total of 382,109 votes were cast, with 375,777 valid votes recorded.
The APC candidate dominated the poll across all 16 local government areas of the state, extending his lead even in traditionally competitive areas.
Notably, PDP candidate Oluyede lost in his home local government area of Efon. In the local government, the APC secured 8,742 votes, while the PDP recorded 2,051 votes and the ADC polled 201 votes.
In Ado Local Government Area, the most populous council in the state, the APC recorded 38,026 votes against the PDP’s 3,817 votes and ADC’s 1,054 votes.
Other local government results showed APC victories in Ijero, Ikere, Emure, Ekiti South-West, Ido/Osi, Ekiti West, Ilejemeje, Ise/Orun, Oye, Moba, Ayekire/Gbonyin, Ikole, Irepodun/Ifelodun and Ekiti East.
The outcome confirms Oyebanji’s strong electoral dominance across the state and grants him another four-year mandate to continue leading Ekiti State under the APC platform.
