The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Governor Biodun Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress (APC) winner of the 2026 Ekiti State governorship election, securing a fresh mandate to continue in office.
Announcing the final results in the early hours of Sunday, the Returning Officer, Professor Adenike Oladiji, said Oyebanji emerged victorious after polling 319,224 votes across the state’s 16 local government areas.
According to the results, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Oluwole Oluyede, finished second with 40,543 votes, while the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Dare Bejide, garnered 12,872 votes.
Professor Oladiji, who is also the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, disclosed that 384,940 voters were accredited for the election. She added that 375,777 valid votes were recorded, while 6,332 ballots were rejected, bringing the total number of votes cast to 382,109.
The declaration concluded an election that attracted significant public attention and witnessed voter participation across the state, although reports of technical challenges and allegations of irregularities surfaced in some areas.
Mixed Reactions During Voting
The election featured a combination of orderly voting, logistical challenges, and complaints from some stakeholders.
INEC reported that voting commenced in all 2,445 polling units across Ekiti. Of that figure, 2,257 polling units opened before 8:30 a.m., while 188 experienced minor delays but began operations before 10:30 a.m.
The commission also uploaded results from polling units to its Result Viewing Portal (IReV) after voting and counting were completed.
PDP candidate Oluwole Oluyede raised concerns over the conduct of the exercise in parts of Ikere Local Government Area, alleging that glitches with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) prevented some voters from casting their ballots. He also accused certain individuals of intimidating voters.
Some elderly voters at his polling unit similarly complained about accreditation difficulties and appealed to INEC to address the issues promptly.
ADC candidate Dare Bejide also alleged irregularities during the election.
However, Governor Oyebanji dismissed the allegations, insisting that anyone making such claims should provide evidence. He described the exercise as satisfactory and encouraged residents to participate peacefully.
The Commissioner of Police overseeing election security, Abayomi Shogunle, also stated that no verified case of vote-buying was reported during the poll.
Observers Assess Election
Election observers generally commended the peaceful atmosphere that characterised much of the exercise.
The First Vice President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Sebastian Anyia, described the process as largely orderly and expressed satisfaction with voter turnout.
Similarly, the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Women Trust Fund, Brenda Anugwom, praised the commitment displayed by female voters, many of whom remained at polling units for long hours to exercise their franchise.
Despite these commendations, election monitoring group Yiaga Africa raised concerns over discrepancies involving ballot papers, result sheets, and INEC’s published list of candidates.
The organisation warned that the inconsistencies could create confusion during collation and documentation of results.
In response, INEC explained that 19 political parties were retained on ballot papers due to legal developments and the cost implications of reprinting election materials.
Security agencies had earlier deployed personnel across the state, restricted vehicular movement during voting hours, and warned political actors against electoral offences.
With the final declaration by INEC, Oyebanji has secured a second term as governor after recording a commanding victory over his opponents in the Ekiti governorship race.