By Mary Onyia
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Governor Biodun Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress (APC) winner of the 2026 Ekiti State governorship election after securing a landslide victory across all 16 local government areas of the state. The Returning Officer, Prof. Adenike Oladiji, announced the result in the early hours of Sunday, stating that Oyebanji polled 319,224 votes.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Oluwole Oluyede, came a distant second with 40,543 votes, while Dare Bejide of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) garnered 12,872 votes. According to INEC, 384,940 voters were accredited for the election, with 375,777 valid votes and 6,332 rejected ballots.
Oyebanji dominated the contest in every local government area, recording particularly strong performances in Ado, Irepodun/Ifelodun, Ekiti West, Ikole, and Ekiti East councils. The outcome underscored the APC’s firm grip on the state’s political landscape and handed the governor a renewed mandate for another term in office.
In his reaction, Oyebanji described the victory as a renewed call to service and pledged to deepen his administration’s commitment to inclusive development and compassionate governance. He assured residents that the mandate would be used to deliver greater dividends of democracy across the state.
As the first major governorship election conducted under the chairmanship of INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu’s successor, Prof. Amupitan, the Ekiti poll will inevitably be viewed as an early test of the commission’s preparedness for the 2027 general elections.
While reports of orderly voting, timely collation, and broad acceptance of the outcome may boost public confidence in the electoral process, the true verdict on whether a new era has begun or whether it remains the same old song will depend on INEC’s ability to replicate and improve upon this performance in larger and more fiercely contested elections across the country in 2027.