- ADC Candidate, Driver Attacked At Polling Unit
- PDP, Accord Candidates Condemn Discrepancies, Reject Results
- My Re-election, A Call To Service – Gov Oyebanji
The re-election of Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, in Saturday’s governorship election has come under intense scrutiny following widespread allegations of vote-buying, voter intimidation, electoral irregularities and pockets of violence, with domestic and international observers warning that the credibility of the poll was significantly undermined despite improvements in logistics and election administration.
NAIJAONPOINT reports that observer groups, including the European Union-backed Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria Election Observation Hub, Yiaga Africa, Kimpact Development Initiative, the Centre for Democracy and Development, the Balm in Gilead Foundation and the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development, said organised voter inducement and other electoral offences were recorded across several local government areas, casting a shadow over the landslide victory secured by the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had, in the early hours of Sunday, declared Oyebanji winner of the election after polling 319,224 votes to defeat his closest rival and Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Wole Oluyede, who secured 40,543 votes. The African Democratic Congress candidate, Dare Bejide, came third with 12,872 votes.
The APC candidate swept all 16 local government areas of the state, becoming the first Ekiti governor since 1999 to secure immediate re-election in a state long known for voting out incumbents.
However, reports from election monitors and media organisations indicated that vote-buying emerged as the defining feature of the election, with observers documenting at least 24 incidents of vote-buying, voter intimidation and electoral offences across nine local government areas.
According to findings released by the EU-SDGN Election Observation Hub, the incidents were concentrated mainly in Ado-Ekiti and Irepodun/Ifelodun local government areas, where party agents allegedly induced voters with cash and compelled some to display marked ballot papers before receiving payment.
The observer coalition, which deployed nearly 600 observers across the state, noted that while election materials arrived on time and voting was generally peaceful, organised voter inducement severely compromised the integrity of the process.
The CJID observer network similarly reported multiple vote-buying methods, including the distribution of food items and drinks to voters, the issuance of tally slips redeemable for cash after voting, and direct cash payments running into thousands of naira.
In Gbonyin Local Government Area, observers reported that party agents distributed N10,000 to voters at secluded locations after verifying their identities, while reports from Emure, Ido-Osi, Ikole and Ado-Ekiti indicated similar patterns of inducement.
- ADC Candidate, Driver Attacked At Polling Unit
The election was also marred by allegations of violence and intimidation involving opposition candidates.
One of the most dramatic incidents occurred at Polling Unit 04, Oke Adura, Ward 2, Ilawe-Ekiti, where ADC governorship candidate, Bejide, accused APC operatives of a vote buying attempt.
The situation degenerated into a confrontation that lasted about two hours.
Bejide alleged that after he reported the alleged vote-buying to security personnel, a local government chairman and a presidential aide identified as Makinde Araoye arrived at the scene alongside individuals he described as fake police officers.
The ADC candidate claimed he was physically assaulted while his driver was beaten unconscious and later hospitalised after attempting to shield him.
The clash reportedly left at least one ADC supporter injured before additional security personnel restored order.
Speaking after the incident, Bejide accused APC chieftains of commercialising the electoral process and using intimidation to suppress opposition voices.
His son, Olumide Bejide, also alleged that large sums of money were deployed across polling units in Ilawe-Ekiti to influence voters.
But an APC chieftain, Makinde Araoye, dismissed the allegations, insisting that the election remained peaceful across the state.
The Ekiti State Commissioner of Police, Abayomi Shogunle, also downplayed the incident, describing it as typical of a highly competitive election and stating that no formal complaint of vote-buying had been officially lodged before his command.
Beyond the Bejide incident, election observers reported isolated violence in Ikole, Oye and Ilejemeje local government areas.
A police station in Isan-Ekiti was set ablaze on the eve of the election, while suspected hoodlums in Iyin-Ekiti attacked operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission investigating vote-buying allegations.
Two journalists covering the incident, one from the News Agency of Nigeria and another from The Nation newspaper, reportedly sustained injuries while fleeing from the attackers.
- Concerns Over ‘Thumprinted’ Ballot Papers
Observers also raised concerns about discrepancies in electoral materials.
The Movement for Credible Elections called for a forensic investigation into allegations of pre-thumbprinted ballot papers and reports that uncollected Permanent Voter Cards were distributed to individuals other than their owners.
The group further demanded a joint briefing involving INEC, the police, the Department of State Services and the EFCC to address the allegations.
The Balm in Gilead Foundation similarly reported cases of vote-trading and BVAS accreditation failures in some polling units.
- PDP, Accord Candidates Condemn Acts, Reject Results
Reacting to the outcome, opposition parties rejected the election results and blamed widespread inducement for the APC victory.
The Accord Party candidate, Opeyemi Falegan, condemned what he described as the monetisation of the democratic process, saying he personally witnessed voter inducement at his polling unit.
The ADC candidate also maintained that the election was compromised by vote-buying and intimidation, insisting that the level of cash deployment witnessed during the exercise distorted the will of the electorate.
The PDP candidate, Oluyede, likewise alleged voter intimidation in parts of Ikere-Ekiti and accused the ruling party of exploiting state power and financial resources to influence voters.
The African Action Congress in Ekiti State formally rejected the result and vowed to challenge the outcome in court, alleging that vote-buying occurred across virtually all local government areas of the state.
Despite the criticisms, observers acknowledged improvements in election logistics and administration.
- PDP, Accord Candidates Condemn Acts, Reject Results
Speaking after his victory, Oyebanji dismissed allegations that vote-buying and intimidation influenced the outcome of the election.
The governor challenged his opponents and critics to provide concrete evidence to support their claims.
He described his re-election as a renewed mandate from the people of Ekiti and pledged to continue delivering on his administration’s development agenda.
“This victory is not about me. It is a call to greater service and a renewed responsibility to the people of Ekiti State who have entrusted us with another mandate,” Oyebanji said.
“I am grateful to the people for their confidence in our administration and for their commitment to peace throughout the electoral process.”
“Those making allegations of vote-buying or intimidation should provide evidence. Elections are won through the support of the people and not through mere accusations.”
“We will remain focused on governance, development and the welfare of our people. The mandate given to us today is one we shall honour with humility, diligence and accountability.”
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