Ekiti Election: APC Candidate Abiodun Oyebanji Declared Winner

The results of the just concluded governorship election in Ekiti state have been announced. The results were announced in the early hours of Sunday, June 19,  2022.

Sixteen candidates made up of 14 male candidates and two female candidates from sixteen political parties contested the election that was held on Saturday, June 18.

Mr. Biodun Oyebanji of the All Progressive Congress APC has been declared the winner.

The chief returning officer of the election announced Mr. Oyebanji the winner in the early hours of Sunday in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital. Oyebanji cleared 15 out of the 16 local governments in the state. In total, he polled 187,057 votes.

Mr. Abiodun Oyebanji was supported by the incumbent Governor Kayode Faymei as well as the former governor of the state and present Minister of Trade and Investment, Otunba Niyi Adebayo. The running mate of Oyebanji is Mrs. Monitade Afuye who hails from Ikere-Ekiti Local Government Area.

His closest rival was the Social Democratic Party SDP Candidate Mr. Segun Oni who polled 82,211 votes. The SDP candidate Chief Oni was a former governor of Ekiti state.

The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mr. Bisi Kolawole came third with 67,457 votes. Mr. Bisi was supported by the former governor of Ekiti state, Mr. Ayodele Fayose.

Some of the other aspirants include Dr. Wole Oluyede of the African Democratic Party, ADC (5, 997 votes); Mr. Debo Ajayi of the Young Progressive Party, YPP(618 votes); Kemi Elebute Halle of Action Democratic Party ADP and one of the female candidate in the race (3,495 votes); and Prince Adeyinka Alli of the Action Peoples Party, APP (1,980 votes).

The Accord party had the lowest vote having polled only 166 votes.

The total number of accredited voters was 365,438, with 351,865 valid votes cast and 8,888 rejected votes. Votes were cast across 2,445 polling units in 177 wards across the sixteen local governments in the state.

There were however reports of violence during the election exercise. In Ekiti South-West Local Government Area where APC won, the LGA returning officer Professor Gbolagade Jonathan reported that hoodlums carted away with ballot boxes after firing shots in Units 5 and 7. Also in Ikere LGA where APC won the returning officer, Professor Emmanuel Ajava reported cases of violence resulting in the cancellation of votes in Unit 2.

In addition, there were reports of cases of vote-buying across the sixteen local governments during the election period. In a polling station at Ola Oluwa Grammar school, there were reports that some agents were apprehended by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over alleged vote-buying.

The SDP candidate Segun Oni lamented vote-buying in Ado Ekiti and Oye Ekiti.

The candidate for African Democratic Congress, Dr. Wole Oluyede also complained of vote-buying, especially in Ikere Ekiti and he also alleged the act was carried out by the APC.

The candidate of the Action Democratic Party, Mrs. Kemi Elebute-Halle also lent her voice condemning the act which she described as an enemy to a credible election. She also alleged that the APC, the SDP, and the PDP were all engaged in the act of vote-buying.

Yiaga Africa and the Nigerian Civil Societies Situation Room’s who monitored the election also confirmed that there was vote-buying in almost all the polling units in the state.