Olamilekan Abayomi
The Independent National Electoral Commission INEC has declared Governor Biodun Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress APC the winner of the 2026 Ekiti State governorship election, with 319,224 votes. The Returning Officer, Prof Adenike Oladiji, Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology Akure, announced the result at about 3:13 a.m. on Sunday after collation across the state’s 16 local government areas. She certified that Oyebanji, having satisfied the requirements of the law and scored the highest number of votes, was duly elected and returned. The declaration sealed a landslide victory for the incumbent and confirmed the APC’s continued hold on Ekiti’s Government House.
Oyebanji defeated his closest challenger, Dr Oluwole Oluyede of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, who polled 40,543 votes. Ambassador Dare Bejide of the African Democratic Congress ADC came third with 12,872 votes, while the Action Democratic Party ADP managed 1,269 votes. The remaining parties recorded much lower figures, with the Labour Party getting 276 votes, Accord 564, AA 126, AAC 195, PRP 163, YPP 98, ZLP 113, APP 61 and APM 59. The margin between the winner and runner-up was 278,681 votes, underscoring the scale of Oyebanji’s victory and the APC’s dominance across the state.
INEC reported that 384,940 voters were accredited for the election out of 988,252 registered voters in Ekiti. A total of 375,777 valid votes were recorded, with 6,332 rejected votes, bringing total votes cast to 382,109. All 2,445 polling units designated for the governorship poll opened for voting on Saturday. The turnout of about 38.8% of accredited voters reflected steady participation, and the commission noted that the exercise was conducted amid a generally peaceful atmosphere despite isolated technical challenges and allegations of irregularities in some locations.
The result breakdown showed Oyebanji winning decisively in virtually every LGA. He polled 25,506 votes in Ijero, 14,325 in Emure, 8,742 in Efon, 11,116 in Ikere, and 14,705 in Ekiti South-West, among others. PDP’s Oluyede could only manage 40,543 votes statewide, with his strongest showings still far behind the APC tally. ADC’s Bejide recorded 12,872 votes. The comprehensive spread of APC votes across the 16 LGAs suggested broad acceptance of Oyebanji’s first term and made him the first Ekiti governor in recent cycles to approach a “win all wards” target that he had set during the party’s primary.
Oyebanji’s path to re-election began months earlier when the APC adopted him as its consensus candidate. At the party’s delegates congress, 885 delegates from the 177 wards unanimously affirmed him after the only other cleared aspirant, Mrs Atinuke Omolayo, stepped down and endorsed his candidacy, citing his sterling performance and loyalty to the party. Two other aspirants had been disqualified for failing to meet party requirements. Oyebanji described the consensus as unprecedented and a reflection of unity within Ekiti APC, thanking President Bola Tinubu and the National Working Committee for their support.
Campaign momentum was further boosted by endorsements from key opposition figures. Former Governor Ayodele Fayose, the PDP’s most powerful voice in Ekiti, publicly endorsed Oyebanji and predicted a landslide while casting his vote in Afao-Ekiti. Fayose commended INEC and security agencies for a credible process and urged stakeholders to accept the outcome. Analysts said Fayose’s defection significantly deflated PDP’s prospects, while Oyebanji’s deputy governor, Mrs Monisade Afuye, had earlier expressed confidence that the governor’s performance would translate to a wide-margin win.
The election was largely peaceful, with observers and many voters praising security agencies for maintaining order. INEC and the police were commended for professionalism, though there were reports of technical challenges with BVAS in some polling units and allegations of vote-buying that led to arrests by EFCC operatives at Ola Oluwa Grammar School in Ado Ekiti. PDP’s Oluyede also decried delays and alleged manipulation, but the overall atmosphere was calmer than previous Ekiti polls, which the deputy governor said could make the 2026 exercise the best in the state’s history.
In his reaction after the announcement, Oyebanji pledged greater service to Ekiti people and promised to consolidate the gains of his first term. APC Collation Agent Senator Cyril Fasuyi urged other contenders to join the governor in building a prosperous state, saying “in every contest there will only be one winner” and that nobody was a loser in a democratic exercise. Oyebanji’s camp had campaigned on delivering development, unity and continuity, arguing that the party had become more attractive to opposition members because promises were being kept.
The victory strengthens APC’s political base in the South-West ahead of 2027 and gives Oyebanji a fresh four-year mandate to pursue his administration’s priorities. During his first term he focused on infrastructure, education, healthcare and youth empowerment, and he had told party members that Ekiti people, including opposition supporters, had been endeared to the APC through delivery on promises. With the mandate renewed, the governor is expected to push for more roads, improved rural access, better school facilities and strengthened security across the 16 LGAs.
Ekiti’s 1.02 million registered voters and 2,445 polling units made the election a closely watched test of INEC’s preparations and off-cycle election management. The commission’s handling of collation, result transmission and accreditation will likely shape expectations for other states. For Oyebanji, the 319,224 votes represent not just a numerical win but also a political statement: Ekiti voters chose continuity over change, backing a governor they adjudged to have served with “every fibre in his body” during his first term.
