The son of former governor of Ekiti State, Chukwuma Boluwatife Fayose and a former governorship aspirant, Atinuke Omolayo, alongside twenty-four others have emerged winners of All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Assembly primary elections in Ekiti State.
While Fayose went through the contest to win the party ticket ahead of the 2027 State Assembly poll, Omolayo emerged through affirmation in the primary elections conducted across the 26 Ekit state constituencies.
The speaker of the Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adeoye Aribasoye, his deputy, Rt. Hon. Bolaji Olagbaju and five others won their return ticket, while nineteen other lawmakers including the majority leader, Michael Ige failed in their bid to return to the Assembly.
Announcing the results in Ado Ekiti on receiving the reports from collation officers across the 26 constituencies, the Chairman of the Ekiti State APC House of Assembly Primary Elections Committee and a former Commissioner for Information in Lagos State, Mr Lateef Ibirogba, revealed that 17 of the aspirants were returned through affirmation, while the remaining nine emerged through contest.
The 17 candidates who emerged through affirmation, according to the committee are, Ogunsakin Ayotunde/Ikole 1; Ogunsakin Oladele Olaoye /Ekiti East 2; Bose Olowookere/ Efon; Bolaji Olagbaju/ Ado 2; Ogunlana Benjamin Oludare/ Ekiti South West 2; Kemi Olaleye/ Oye 2; Omotayo Babatunde Emmanuel/ Iṣẹ Orun and Johnson Bode Adeoye Oyekola/Ekiti West 2.
Others are, Owolabi Ojuolape Sunkanmi/Ikere 2; Ojo Taiwo Adeolu/Ido-Osi 1; Atinuke Omolayo/Emure; Sunkanmi Onipede/Moba 1; Ogunleye Kemisola Agnes/Ikere 1; Agbede Opeyemi/Irepodun-Ifelodun 1; Yomi Ayorinde/Ido-Osi 2; Aribasoye Adeoye Stephen/Ikole 2; Ijidale Olalekan/Gbonyin.
For the nine constituencies where elections were held, the winners, according the the committee are: Ahmed Tajudeen Olutope/Ekiti East 2; Oladipupo Yinka Femi Monsurat/Ekiti West 1; Apolola Richard/Ekiti Southwest 1; Adarabierin Ayodeji/Ado 1; Emmanuel Omolaja/Ilejemeje; Chukwuma Fayose/Irepodun-Ifelodun 2; Fabunmi Adetope Eyitayo/Oye 1; Kole Ayeni/Ijero and Kekereawo Segun Matthew/Moba 2.
“Let me explain that the elections were in two stages: 17 out of the 26 constituencies had affirmation because the aspirants were unopposed. Even where aspirants are unopposed, there must still be affirmation, so, we had affirmation in those 17 constituencies. The remaining nine constituencies, we had elections and winners emerged through the ballot. Ibirogba stated.
Meanwhile, the emerging party House of Assembly candidates for the next year poll comprise of 20 males and 6 females as APC in the state had it for the last general elections.
