Oyebanji secures landslide victory in Ekiti poll

Ekiti State Governor and candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Biodun Oyebanji, has been re-elected for a second term following a commanding victory in Saturday’s governorship election.

The governor’s strong showing was evident at his polling unit, where he recorded an overwhelming win. Results announced at Polling Unit 003, Ward 06, Okelele, Ikogosi-Ekiti, showed the APC securing 326 votes. The African Democratic Congress (ADC) polled two votes, while the Action Democratic Party (ADP) and African Action Congress (AAC) received one vote each. Three ballots were declared invalid.

Governor Oyebanji cast his vote at the polling unit alongside his wife, Olayemi Oyebanji, at about 11:38 a.m. Shortly afterwards, he expressed confidence in the electoral process and optimism about his party’s chances in the election.

He commended voters for their turnout and urged patience over minor technical challenges encountered during the accreditation process, assuring residents that all eligible voters would have the opportunity to exercise their franchise.

The governor’s confidence was reflected in the final outcome announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) after the completion of statewide collation.

According to the official results, Oyebanji secured 319,224 votes to defeat his closest challenger, Wole Oluyede of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who garnered 40,543 votes. The ADC candidate, Oluwadare Bejide, finished third with 12,872 votes.

The APC candidate swept all 16 local government areas of the state, demonstrating widespread support across both urban and rural communities.

INEC disclosed that 382,109 valid votes were cast in the election, while 6,332 ballots were rejected. A total of 384,940 voters were accredited out of the state’s 988,251 registered voters.

Other parties recorded the following results: ADP (1,269), Accord (564), Action Alliance (126), AAC (195), APM (59), APP (61), Labour Party (276), NNPP (35), PRP (163), SDP (179), YPP (98) and ZLP (113).

Declaring the result, the INEC State Collation Officer announced that Oyebanji had met all constitutional requirements and was duly elected Governor of Ekiti State.

The outcome further strengthens the APC’s political dominance in Ekiti State and grants Governor Oyebanji a fresh four-year mandate.

Political observers have attributed the governor’s emphatic victory to his administration’s performance in critical sectors such as infrastructure, education, healthcare and workers’ welfare, as well as the broad support he received from political leaders, traditional rulers and grassroots stakeholders across the state.

With his re-election secured, Governor Oyebanji is expected to continue implementing his administration’s development agenda aimed at advancing economic growth and improving the welfare of Ekiti residents over the next four years.