INEC declares Oyebanji winner of Ekiti governorship election – THISAGE

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate and incumbent governor of Ekiti State, Biodun Oyebanji, the winner of the Ekiti State governorship election held on Saturday, securing a second term in office after recording a landslide victory across the state.

Oyebanji was elected again after obtaining 319,224 votes, defeating his challengers, Olumayokun Oluyede of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), who obtained 40,533 votes, and Dare Bejide of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), who obtained 12,872 votes.

The result was officially announced in the early hours of Sunday at the INEC state headquarters in Ado-Ekiti, by the electoral officer and vice-chancellor of the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA), Prof. Adenike Oladiji.

Declaring the final result, Prof. Oladiji said: “Therefore, I, Adenike, am the Returning Officer for the 2026 Ekiti governorship election. Oyebanji Abiodun Abayomi, having satisfied the requirements of the law, is hereby declared the winner and stands re-elected.”

According to INEC, the elections witnessed 988,251 registered voters, while 384,949 voters were accredited to participate in the exercise across the 16 local government areas of the state.

A total of 382,109 votes were cast, of which 375,777 were declared valid, while the remaining ballots were rejected.

The elections, conducted among thousands of polling stations across the state under tight security deployment, saw the APC dominate all 16 local government areas, underlining the party’s continued political strength in the southwestern state.

The governorship race featured candidates from 14 political parties, with Oyebanji facing strong opposition from Oluwole Oluyede of the PDP, Oluwadare Bejide of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Opeyemi Falegan of the Accord Party, Joseph Anifowose of the Allied People’s Movement (APM), Oyebanji Olajuyin of the Labor Party (LP), Blessing Abegunde of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and Olaniyi Ayodele of the People’s Redemption Party (PRP).

Other candidates who participated in the elections included Bidemi Awogbemi of the Action Peoples Party (APP), Akande Oluwasegun of the African Action Congress (AAC), Ayodeji Ojo of the Action Democratic Party (ADP), Victor Adetunji of the Zenith Labor Party (ZLP), along with candidates from other participating parties.

Analysis of the final local government results announced by INEC showed that APC maintains a dominant lead in all municipalities.

In Efon Local Government Area, APC secured 8,742 votes, defeating PDP which secured 2,051 votes, while ADC secured 201 votes.

In Ijero Local Government Area, APC recorded 25,506 votes, PDP secured 2,479 votes, while ADC secured 2,026 votes.

In Ikere Local Government Area, APC polled 11,116 votes, PDP recorded 9,872 votes, while ADC polled 245 votes.

In Emure Local Government Area, APC polled 14,325 votes, PDP polled 851 votes, while ADC recorded 732 votes.

In Ekiti South West Local Government Area, the APC secured 14,705 votes, the PDP secured 1,800 votes, while the ADC recorded 1,076 votes.

In Ido/Osi Local Government Area, APC got 17,901 votes, PDP got 1,449 votes, while ADC got 561 votes.

In Ekiti West Local Government Area, APC recorded 28,258 votes, while PDP got 364 votes and ADC got 674 votes.

In Ado Local Government Area, the largest voting bloc, the APC polled 38,026 votes, the PDP polled 3,817 votes, while the ADC recorded 1,054 votes.

In Ilejemeje Local Government Area, the APC secured 8,984 votes, the PDP secured 1,243 votes, while the ADC secured 579 votes.

In Ise/Orun Local Government Area, APC recorded 12,907 votes, PDP 1,627 votes, while ADC polled 365 votes.

In Oye Local Government Area, APC polled 18,975 votes, PDP recorded 2,891 votes, while ADC polled 998 votes.

In Moba Local Government Area, the APC secured 20,500 votes, the PDP secured 1,572 votes, while the ADC recorded 994 votes.

In Ayekire/Gbonyin Local Government Area, the APC secured 17,133 votes, the PDP secured 1,563 votes, while the ADC secured 314 votes.

In Ikole Local Government Area, APC recorded 26,508 votes, PDP 750 votes, while ADC secured 812 votes.

In Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Area, the APC secured 29,278 votes, the PDP secured 2,119 votes, while the ADC recorded 511 votes.

In Ekiti East Local Government Area, APC got 26,359 votes, PDP got 2,795 votes, while ADC got 1,730 votes.

Oyebanji’s victory further consolidates APC’s political dominance in Ekiti State and gives the governor a new four-year mandate to continue leading the state.

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