The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Governor Biodun Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the 2026 Ekiti State governorship election.
The announcement was made in the early hours of Sunday by the Returning Officer for the election, Adenike Oladiji, who confirmed that Oyebanji secured a decisive victory across the state’s 16 local government areas.
Oyebanji Secures Landslide Victory
According to the official results released by INEC, Oyebanji polled a total of 319,224 votes to emerge victorious in the keenly contested election.
His closest challenger, Oluwole Oluyede of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), received 40,543 votes, while Dare Bejide of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) garnered 12,872 votes.
The result gives Oyebanji a renewed mandate to continue leading the state for another term.
Election Statistics
INEC disclosed that a total of 384,940 voters were accredited for the election.
Out of this figure, 375,777 valid votes were recorded, while 6,332 votes were rejected, bringing the total number of votes cast to 382,109.
The commission noted that voting took place across all 2,445 polling units in the state.
Smooth Polls Marred by Isolated Challenges
Although the election was generally peaceful, some polling units experienced operational challenges and allegations of irregularities.
INEC reported that 92.31 percent of polling units opened before 8:30 a.m., while the remaining units commenced voting before 10:30 a.m. after minor delays.
The commission also successfully commenced the upload of polling unit results to its IReV portal following the conclusion of voting and counting.
PDP, ADC Raise Concerns
Following the exercise, PDP candidate Oluwole Oluyede expressed dissatisfaction with the conduct of voting in parts of Ikere Local Government Area.
He alleged that some voters encountered challenges with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), while also raising concerns about voter intimidation in certain locations.
Similarly, ADC candidate Dare Bejide alleged irregularities during the election process.
However, Governor Oyebanji dismissed the allegations and challenged those making such claims to provide evidence.
According to him, the election was conducted satisfactorily and reflected the will of the people.
Security Agencies Commended
Security agencies received commendation from observers and stakeholders for maintaining peace throughout the election.
The Nigeria Police Force led a coordinated security operation involving multiple agencies across the state.
Restrictions on vehicular movement, enhanced patrols, and strategic deployments contributed to the largely peaceful atmosphere witnessed during the exercise.
Commissioner of Police, Abayomi Shogunle, stated that no official report of vote-buying was received during the election.
Observers Praise Turnout, Raise Procedural Issues
Election observers generally described the process as peaceful and orderly while noting some procedural concerns.
The First Vice President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Sebastian Anyia, commended voter turnout and the overall conduct of the poll.
The Yiaga Africa also acknowledged the generally peaceful process but raised concerns about discrepancies involving ballot papers, result sheets, and candidate listings.
INEC explained that the inclusion of additional parties on ballot papers was necessitated by court orders and administrative considerations.
Another Mandate for Oyebanji
With the declaration of the final results, Governor Oyebanji has secured a second term in office, extending the APC’s hold on Ekiti State.
His victory comes after a campaign centered on continuity, governance, and development initiatives implemented during his first term.
Political analysts believe the outcome reflects strong voter confidence in the governor’s administration and sets the stage for the next phase of governance in the state.