Inec declares Biodun Oyebanji of the APC as the winner of the Ekiti State gubernatorial election

NIGERIA'S Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec) has declared Biodun Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of yesterday gubernatorial elections in Ekiti State and the new governor-elect.

 

A native of Ikogosi-Ekiti, Mr Oyebanji, 54, served as the secretary to the Ekiti State government between October 2018 and December 2021. Last night, Inec declared him the winner of the elections with 187,057 votes, giving him a 30% margin victory over his closest challenger Segun Oni of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

 

According to official figures published by Inec Mr Oni and the SDP came second securing 82,211 votes, while Bisi Kolawole of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) came third with 67,457 votes. With the victory, Mr Oyebanji will take over from Governor Kayode Fayemi when his term formally ends on October 16.

 

In total, 16 candidates that partook in the exercise for which there were 363,438 accredited voters in what was a relatively peaceful and successful exercise despite some violence. Polls officially opened at around 8.30am closed at 2.30 pm, with Inec managing to complete counting and announce the results first thing this morning.

 

Mr Oyebanji, won in 15 out of the 16 local government areas of the state, only losing in Efon Local Government Area where Mr Kolawole hails from. Meanwhile, some party agents were arrested by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission operatives over vote-buying at a polling station at Ola Oluwa Grammar School, Ado Ekiti during the elections.

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