By Opeyemi Adelakun
Governor Biodun Oyebanji has successfully secured a second term in office, demonstrating a commanding performance in the Ekiti State governorship election held on Saturday.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officially announced the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate as the winner in the early hours of Sunday, following the comprehensive collation of results from all 16 local government areas of the state.
At the State Collation Centre in Ado-Ekiti, the Returning Officer, Prof. Adenike Oladiji, confirmed that Oyebanji met all constitutional requirements and was duly declared elected.
Final figures released by INEC showed that Oyebanji garnered an impressive 319,224 votes, decisively defeating his closest rival, Olumayokun Oluyede of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who received 40,533 votes. The African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Dare Bejide, managed to secure only 12,872 votes.
With a total of 988,251 registered voters, INEC reported that 384,940 were accredited for the election. A total of 382,109 votes were cast, with 375,777 deemed valid.
A significant factor in Oyebanji’s victory was his dominance across all 16 local government areas, including Efon Local Government Area, the home council of the PDP candidate. In Efon, Oyebanji achieved 8,742 votes, while Oluyede managed 2,051 votes, and the ADC candidate received just 201 votes.
Strong performances were also noted in Ado Local Government Area, where the governor recorded 38,026 votes, and in Irepodun/Ifelodun LGA, where he polled 29,278 votes.
Oyebanji’s overwhelming lead in the election cements the APC’s stronghold on Ekiti State, granting him a fresh mandate to continue his administration for another four-year term. His ability to connect with voters, coupled with effective grassroots campaigning and the lack of a united opposition, played pivotal roles in his sweeping victory. The election outcome leaves his opponents trailing significantly in nearly every local government area, reinforcing Oyebanji’s position as a formidable political leader in Ekiti.
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