The incumbent Governor, Biodun Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has secured a decisive victory in the 2026 Ekiti State governorship election, securing a second term in office.
Oyebamiji defeated his closest rival, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Wole Oluyede, who scored 40,543 votes and the candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Ambassador Dare Bejide who polled 12,872 votes. While Ojo Ayodeji of ADP came fourth with 1269 votes, Opeyemi Falegan of the Accord Party occupied the fifth position with 564 votes.
Announcing the results, the Returning Officer, Professor Adenike Oladiji said “988,251 voters were registered for the election across Ekiti State. Of this figure, 384,940 voters were accredited, reflecting a significant turnout in the exercise.”
He said; “A total of 382,109 votes were cast across the 16 local government areas of the State. Of the votes cast, 375,777 valid votes were cast while 6,332 were rejected.”
Having satisfied the requirements of the law and secured the highest number of valid votes, Professor Oladiji declared Oyebanji as duly elected Governor of Ekiti State.
The election, conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), was largely peaceful, with voting taking place across the state’s 2,445 polling units.
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With his re-election secured, Governor Oyebanji is set to continue the implementation of his administration’s development agenda for Ekiti State over the next four years.
Electorates voted on Saturday across 2,445 polling units and 177 Wards in the state. At the end of voting, the results were announced for each polling unit.
The results from polling units were collated across the state’s 177 Wards before further collation was conducted in each of the 16 local government areas.
Ekiti has 1,059,360 registered voters, but only 1,028,929 of them who collected Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) were eligible to participate in the election in the South-west state.
Political analysts attribute the Governor’s landslide victory to his administration’s performance in key sectors, including infrastructure, education, healthcare and workers’ welfare, as well as the widespread endorsements he received from political leaders, traditional rulers and grassroots stakeholders across the state.
Fourteen candidates who participated in the election are Biodun Oyebamiji of APC, other contenders are Oluwole Oluyede (PDP), Oluwadare Bejide (ADC), Oyebanji Olajuyin (LP), Blessing Abegunde (NNPP), Samuel Akande (AAC), Ayodeji Ojo (ADP), Opeyemi Felegan (Accord), Joseph Anifowose (APM), Bidemi Awogbemi (APP), Olaniyi Ayodele (PRP), Victor Adetunji (ZLP), Olu Omotosho (AA), and Ayodele Osinkolu (YPP).
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