Biodun Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has secured another term as Governor of Ekiti State after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officially announced him as the winner of the governorship election.
Oyebanji was declared victorious on Sunday in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, after recording an overwhelming lead across the 16 local government areas of the state.
According to the final collation released on Form EC8E, the incumbent governor garnered 319,224 votes to defeat his closest challenger, Wole Oluyede of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who received 40,543 votes.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate, Oluwadare Bejide, finished third in the contest with a total of 12,872 votes.
The APC flagbearer emerged victorious in all 16 local government areas, completing a clean sweep that demonstrated widespread support in both urban centres and rural communities.
The final results were announced by the INEC State Collation Officer, who oversaw the aggregation of figures submitted from the 16 local government areas.
She declared the APC governorship candidate winner of the election after satisfying the constitutional and legal requirements prescribed under Nigeria’s electoral laws.
She said a total of 6,332 votes were rejected, out of 382,109 votes cast.
According to the final figures, the election recorded 384,940 accredited voters from a total of 988,251 registered voters across the state.
The breakdown of votes for other parties showed:
ADC – 12,872
ADP – 1,269
A – 564
AA – 126
AAC – 195
APM – 59
APP – 61
LP – 276
NNPP – 35
PRP – 163
SDP – 179
YPP – 98
ZLP – 113
With the declaration, Oyebanji has further strengthened his place in Ekiti State’s political history by earning a second term in office, reinforcing the APC’s influence across the state.
Ekiti’s political record indicates that while former governors Ayo Fayose and Kayode Fayemi each held office for two non-consecutive terms, Oyebanji’s victory extends his party’s continuity in administering the state.
Political observers credited his landslide victory to the benefits of incumbency, extensive political partnerships, and the perceived achievements of his administration in infrastructure, education, healthcare, and workers’ welfare.
Before the election, the governor received endorsements from prominent political figures across party lines, traditional institutions, and grassroots networks spread throughout the 16 local government areas.
The opposition parties, especially the PDP and ADC, failed to build a united coalition, a development many analysts believe significantly weakened their chances at the polls.
Oyebanji’s re-election further cements the APC’s dominance in Ekiti State and gives him a fresh four-year mandate to continue leading the state with renewed public confidence.
