By Our Correspondents
The All Progressives Congress (APC) secured a commanding victory in Saturday’s Ekiti governorship election and won three of four senatorial by-elections, as opposition parties recorded poor showings across most contests.
Governor Biodun Oyebanji of the APC secured re-election with a landslide 319,224 votes. His closest rival, Wole Oluyede of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), polled 40,543 votes. Dare Bejide of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) came a distant third with 12,872 votes .
In a historic feat, Oyebanji won all 16 local government areas, all 177 wards, and virtually all 2,445 polling units across the state, making him the first sitting governor in Ekiti’s history to secure re-election since the state’s creation in 1996 .
In similar development, the APC also won three of the four senatorial by-elections held across the country. The party secured victories in Enugu North, Ondo South, and Nasarawa North senatorial districts, while the PDP won in Rivers South-East .
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Oyebanji duly elected on Sunday morning. The State Returning Officer, Prof. Adenike Oladiji, confirmed that he satisfied all legal requirements and recorded the highest number of votes . According to INEC, the election recorded 988,251 registered voters, with 384,940 accredited and 382,109 total votes cast.
Senatorial By-Elections
In Enugu North Senatorial District, the APC’s Ikeje Asogwa polled 162,360 votes, while the PDP’s Nestor Ezeme secured 9,299 votes. The by-election was conducted to fill the vacancy created by the death of Senator Okey Ezea.
In Ondo South Senatorial District, the APC’s Dayo Faduyile won with 68,474 votes, defeating his closest rival, Adeolu Akinwunmi of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), who secured 1,411 votes. The by-election was conducted following the appointment of Senator Jimoh Ibrahim as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations.
In Nasarawa North Senatorial District, the APC’s Danladi Halilu Envulu-Anza secured 45,362 votes, defeating Labour Party’s Labaran Maku with 12,931 votes and the PDP’s Emmanuel Ombugadu with 11,570 votes. The by-election was conducted to fill the vacancy created by the death of Senator Godiya Akwashi.
In Rivers South-East Senatorial District, the PDP’s Olaka Nwogu secured victory with 47,961 votes. The by-election was conducted following the death of Senator Barry Mpigi.
Tinubu Hails Victory, Calls for Unity
President Bola Tinubu congratulated Governor Oyebanji on his re-election, describing the outcome as a vote of confidence in the governor’s “people-centred” administration.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the president commended Ekiti residents for their “peaceful and orderly conduct” and for “reposing their trust in Governor Oyebanji.”
Tinubu noted that Oyebanji’s first term was marked by “significant strides in infrastructure, agriculture, youth employment, education, healthcare, and rural development” under the BAO agenda. He described the renewed mandate as “a clear vote of confidence in continuity, stability, and people-centred governance.”
The president also praised security agencies for maintaining peace during the poll and urged INEC to build on the conduct of the election. “He charges the Independent National Electoral Commission to continue to invest in conducting a peaceful, free, fair and credible election as we approach the Osun governorship election in August and the general election next year,” the statement read.
Tinubu called on opposition candidates to support the governor, saying “it is now time to rally round Oyebanji in the task of taking Ekiti to the next level of governance.”
Governor Oyebanji: Victory Validates Tinubu’s Leadership
Delivering his victory speech in Ado-Ekiti on Sunday, Oyebanji described his resounding victory as a clear validation of both his administration’s performance and President Tinubu’s leadership at the federal level.
“As you are aware, the electoral umpire, through its Returning Officer, has announced me as the winner of the 2026 governorship election. The people of Ekiti have spoken loudly and unequivocally. They have spoken not in muffled voices but in a thunderous roar,” he said.
The governor attributed his re-election to the diligent implementation of his administration’s six-pillar development agenda, which he said had positively impacted residents across the state.
“This is not just a watershed moment; it is a remarkable transformation in our political culture. Unlike previous electoral cycles marked by violence and tension, this election was conducted peacefully without a single incident of violence. Ekiti has demonstrated that politics can be conducted in an atmosphere of harmony, civility and mutual respect,” he stated.
Oyebanji reserved special appreciation for President Tinubu, whom he credited for creating the enabling environment that made development possible at the sub-national level. “What happened yesterday (Saturday) is a validation of performance by the people of Ekiti, but beyond that, it is also a vote of confidence in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” he said.
In a conciliatory gesture, the governor extended what he described as “hands of fellowship” to his opponents. “I have called them personally, and discussions are ongoing. The election is over. What is important now is how we move Ekiti State forward together,” he said.
PDP Candidate Alleges Irregularities, Vows Legal Challenge
The PDP governorship candidate, Dr. Wole Oluyede, has alleged widespread irregularities in the conduct of the election, accusing INEC and security agencies of actions capable of undermining its credibility.
Speaking with journalists shortly after arriving to cast his vote at Polling Unit 6, Ward 3, Osagulu Hall, Ado-Ekiti, on Saturday, Oluyede expressed frustration over what he described as the deliberate delay of the voting process due to BVAS malfunction.
“The electoral process is nonsense. A lot of my people are yet to vote because the BVAS is not functioning properly,” he said.
He also alleged harassment of his supporters by security operatives. “Some of my followers are being harassed at the polling units by security agencies and no media is reporting the incident,” he alleged.
He warned that his party would not hesitate to seek legal redress if the alleged irregularities persisted. “We are documenting all these incidents. If these violations continue, we will meet them in court,” he stated.
ADC Candidate Rejects Outcome, Alleges Vote-Buying
The ADC candidate, Dare Bejide, has rejected the outcome of the election, alleging widespread vote-buying and intimidation during the poll.
Speaking at Unit 4, Ward 2 in Ilawe-Ekiti, Bejide alleged that an APC chieftain arrived near the polling unit with a large sum of cash meant for distribution to voters, which triggered a confrontation that left one of his supporters injured.
“Now you have the sound, the audio, one of them brought money here, they brought it in a sack, but we intercepted her, she called the council chairman and he came here. And in a bid to defend themselves, they kept on saying that some ADC members were also distributing money. But they couldn’t mention anybody. But we know where the money was kept. And in a bid to retrieve the money, she called the council chairman, and that caused a lot of commotion here,” he stated.
He said he was still studying the election results and consulting with party officials before deciding on the next course of action.
Yiaga Africa: Vote-Buying Remains Serious Threat
Yiaga Africa, which observed the Ekiti election, validated the results but flagged critical shortcomings in the electoral process.
In its preliminary report, the EU-Supported Election Situation Room scored INEC officials 75 per cent for early arrival of materials, 96 per cent for BVAS performance, and 69 per cent for voter accreditation.
However, the group reported “no significant disruptions except isolated cases of violence and well-organised vote buying and intimidation in nine local government areas and 24 incidents of violence which were referred to the security agencies.”
The group urged INEC to fix BVAS malfunction, extend voting hours to allow voters to exercise their franchise, direct electoral officers to upload results to the result portal, and the police to arrest those found engaging in vote-buying.
Observers Raise Concerns Over BVAS Malfunctions
Former presidential aide and ex-lawmaker Babafemi Ojudu raised concerns over delays in the accreditation process during Saturday’s voting. In a social media post, Ojudu said he encountered technical difficulties shortly after arriving at his polling unit. “Before my fingerprints and photograph could be captured, it took some time. If it takes that time to accredit one voter, then one begins to wonder how many hours it will take for 500 people to vote,” he wrote.
He later confirmed that the issue was resolved, but noted that “the process is cumbersome” despite the peaceful and orderly conduct of voters.
Implications for 2027
The opposition parties have now contested several electoral tests since the formation of the coalition in July 2025, including the Anambra governorship, FCT Area Council elections, Ekiti governorship, and the senatorial by-elections, without securing a significant victory. The APC has won elections across multiple regions, from the South-West to the South-East to the North-Central.
Internal disputes over primaries, leadership, and candidate selection continue to affect opposition parties, with unresolved court cases and factional infighting diverting resources from campaign preparation. With the 2027 elections approaching, opposition parties face the challenge of addressing these internal divisions.
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