Governor Biodun Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been re-elected as Ekiti State governor in a landslide victory, winning all 16 local government areas in the governorship election held on Saturday. The results, announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the early hours of Sunday, showed Oyebanji defeating his main challengers, Wole Oluyede of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Dare Bejide of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Record-Breaking Victory
With this outcome, Oyebanji becomes the first governor in Ekiti State's history to win re-election back-to-back. He also recorded the highest number of votes in any governorship poll in the state since 1999. Additionally, he is only the second governorship candidate to win all local government areas in an election, after former Governor Ayodele Fayose, who achieved the feat in the 2014 governorship election.
The Returning Officer, Professor Adenike Oladiji, announced that Oyebanji secured victories even in the home councils of his opponents. In Ikere, the home local government of PDP candidate Oluyede, Oyebanji polled 11,116 votes against Oluyede's 9,872 votes. Similarly, in Ekiti Southwest, the home council of ADC candidate Bejide, Oyebanji garnered 14,705 votes compared to Bejide's 1,076 votes.
Detailed Results Across LGAs
According to the results announced at the collation centre, Oyebanji polled his highest votes in Ado Local Government Area, where he secured 38,026 votes, against PDP's 3,817 and ADC's 1,054. In Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Area, he garnered 29,278 votes, while he scored 28,258 votes in Ekiti West, 26,508 votes in Ikole, 26,359 votes in Ekiti East, and 25,506 votes in Ijero. The governor also secured victories in Moba, Oye, Ido/Osi, Ayekire, Ise/Orun, Emure, Efon, and Ilejemeje local government areas by comfortable margins.
The PDP candidate failed to win any local government, including his native Ikere council. The ADC candidate also lost in all councils, including his home Ekiti South-West. The presentation of results began shortly after the commencement of state collation at about 12:30 a.m. on Sunday, with local government collation officers taking turns to announce figures from their respective councils before the State Returning Officer.
Minor Irregularities Noted
At Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Area, the Collation Officer, Prof. Michael Adeyemi, reported that voting was cancelled in one polling unit due to over-voting, but noted that the incident did not substantially affect the overall outcome of the election in the council.
Reactions to the Victory
Reacting to the victory, the senator representing Ekiti North, who served as the governor's agent at the collation centre, described the victory as well-deserved. He stated that Ekiti people have repaid the governor with their votes and should expect more dividends of democracy in his second term. He urged other contestants to support the governor in serving the people, adding that there is no victor, no vanquished, and that the people of Ekiti are the winners.
