By Law Ibitoye
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Biodun Oyebanji, winner of the Ekiti State governorship election held on Saturday.
The Returning Officer for the election and Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Professor Adenike Oladiji, announced the result at 3:13 a.m. on Sunday at the state collation centre in Ado-Ekiti.
According to the final results released by INEC, Oyebanji secured 319,224 votes to defeat his closest rivals to earn him a second term .
With the victory, Oyebanji becomes the first governor in the history of Ekiti State to win re-election and secure two consecutive terms through the ballot.
The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Oluwole Oluyede, polled 40,543 votes, while the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Dare Bejide, garnered 12,872 votes.
Professor Oladiji disclosed that 988,251 voters were registered for the election, while 384,940 voters were accredited across the state’s 16 local government areas.
She further stated that a total of 382,109 votes were cast, comprising 375,777 valid votes and 6,332 rejected ballots.
Having satisfied the requirements of the law and scored the highest number of valid votes cast, Professor Oladiji formally returned Oyebanji as the duly elected Governor of Ekiti State in accordance with the provisions of the Electoral Act.
