The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared incumbent Governor Biodun Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the 2026 Ekiti State governorship election, securing a landslide victory amid opposition protests over alleged irregularities.
Announcing the results in the early hours of Sunday, the Returning Officer, Prof. Adenike Oladiji, said Oyebanji polled 319,224 votes, defeating his closest rival, Oluwole Oluyede of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who garnered 40,543 votes. The African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Dare Bejide, trailed with 12,872 votes.
INEC disclosed that 384,940 voters were accredited for the exercise, with 375,777 valid votes recorded. A total of 6,332 votes were rejected, bringing the overall votes cast to 382,109.
The election, conducted across Ekiti State’s 16 local government areas, was described by the commission as largely peaceful, with all 2,445 polling units operational and more than 92 percent opening before 8:30 a.m. However, the process was not without controversy.
Opposition candidates raised concerns over the credibility of the poll, citing technical failures and alleged voter suppression. Oluyede claimed that glitches associated with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) disenfranchised a significant number of voters, particularly in parts of Ikere Local Government Area. He also alleged incidents of voter intimidation.
Bejide echoed similar concerns, pointing to what he described as irregularities that undermined the integrity of the election.
In response, Governor Oyebanji dismissed the allegations, maintaining that the election met acceptable standards. He challenged his opponents to substantiate their claims with verifiable evidence and commended voters for what he described as a peaceful democratic exercise.
Security authorities also weighed in on the conduct of the poll. The Commissioner of Police in charge of the election, CP Abayomi Shogunle, stated that no cases of vote-buying were officially recorded. While acknowledging isolated incidents of tension in a few polling units, he said security personnel acted swiftly to restore calm.
Despite INEC’s declaration, the sharp disparity in results and the opposition’s allegations are expected to fuel post-election disputes, potentially setting the stage for legal battles over the legitimacy of the outcome.
