Oyebanji Secures Second Term in Historic Ekiti Sweep
Governor Biodun Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has secured a decisive re-election victory in the Ekiti State governorship election, winning all 16 local government areas and reaffirming the party’s dominance across the state.
Official results released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) showed that Oyebanji polled 319,224 votes, defeating his closest rival, Olumayokun Oluyede of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who garnered 40,533 votes. Dare Bejide of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) finished third with 12,872 votes.
The outcome handed the incumbent governor a commanding margin of 278,691 votes over the PDP candidate, underscoring his widespread support across the state.
INEC declared Oyebanji the winner in the early hours of Sunday following the completion of results collation from all 16 local government areas. Announcing the result at the commission’s headquarters on Iyin Road, Ado-Ekiti, the Returning Officer and Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Professor Adenike Oladiji, said the APC candidate had fulfilled all constitutional requirements and was duly elected.
“Therefore, I, Adenike Oladiji, Returning Officer for the 2026 Ekiti Governorship Election, hereby declare that Oyebanji Abiodun Abayomi, having satisfied the requirements of the law, is duly elected and returned as Governor of Ekiti State,” she stated.
According to INEC, the state had 988,251 registered voters, of whom 384,940 were accredited to vote. A total of 382,109 votes were cast, while 375,777 were declared valid.
APC Dominates Across the State
Oyebanji recorded convincing victories in every local government area, posting particularly strong performances in Ado-Ekiti, Irepodun/Ifelodun, Ekiti West, Ikole and Ekiti East.
In Ado-Ekiti Local Government Area, the state’s most populous council, the governor secured 38,026 votes, compared with 3,817 votes for the PDP and 1,054 for the ADC.
He also recorded 29,278 votes in Irepodun/Ifelodun, while the PDP and ADC polled 2,119 and 511 votes respectively. In Ekiti West, the APC candidate won 28,258 votes against the PDP’s 3,644 and ADC’s 674.
At Ikole Local Government Area, Oyebanji garnered 26,508 votes, while the PDP and ADC secured 750 and 812 votes respectively.
He also won Ekiti East with 26,359 votes, ahead of the PDP’s 2,795 and the ADC’s 1,730 votes.
Further results showed the APC polling 25,506 votes in Ijero, 20,500 in Moba, 18,975 in Oye and 17,901 in Ido/Osi Local Government Areas.
The party also emerged victorious in Ayekire/Gbonyin, Ekiti South-West, Emure, Ise/Orun, Ikere, Ilejemeje and Efon councils.
One of the notable outcomes of the election was the PDP candidate’s defeat in his home local government area of Efon. Oluyede secured 2,051 votes in the council, while Oyebanji polled 8,742 votes. The ADC candidate received 201 votes.
Mandate Renewed
The comprehensive victory strengthens Oyebanji’s political standing and secures him a second term in office.
The result also reinforces the APC’s grip on Ekiti State politics, having swept all 16 local government areas in the election.
Attention is now expected to shift to reactions from opposition parties and other stakeholders, as the state prepares for the governor’s second term in office.
