The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Governor Biodun Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress (APC) the winner of the 2026 Ekiti State governorship election, securing another four-year term in office.

The Returning Officer for the election, Professor Adenike Oladiji, announced the result at about 3:13 a.m. on Sunday after the completion of collation from the state’s 16 local government areas.

According to the results, Oyebanji polled 319,224 votes to defeat his closest challengers.

READ ALSO: Ekiti Poll Shock: ADC Candidate Loses Home Ward to Oyebanji

The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Oluwole Oluyede, secured 40,543 votes, while Dare Bejide of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) garnered 12,872 votes.

Oladiji disclosed that 384,940 voters were accredited for the election, while 375,777 valid votes were recorded. She added that 6,332 votes were rejected, bringing the total votes cast to 382,109.

The declaration ended a closely watched governorship contest that saw voters across Ekiti State head to the polls on Saturday amid a generally peaceful atmosphere.

Despite the successful conduct of the election, reports of technical challenges and allegations of irregularities emerged from some polling units.

INEC said all 2,445 polling units designated for the election opened for voting.

According to the commission, 2,257 polling units, representing 92.31 per cent, opened before 8:30 a.m., while 188 polling units experienced minor delays but commenced voting before 10:30 a.m.

The electoral body also began uploading polling unit results to its Result Viewing Portal (IReV) after voting and counting were completed in several locations.

During the election, PDP candidate Oluwole Oluyede raised concerns over developments at Ugele/Arokun Ward in Ikere Local Government Area.

Speaking to journalists after casting his vote at Polling Unit 006, he alleged that many voters were unable to vote because of challenges associated with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).

Oluyede also alleged voter harassment and intimidation in the area.

Earlier, some elderly voters at the same polling unit expressed frustration after they were unable to complete accreditation due to BVAS issues and called on INEC to urgently address the problem.

ADC candidate Dare Bejide also alleged irregularities during the election.

However, Governor Oyebanji dismissed the allegations and insisted that those making such claims must provide evidence.

The governor, who voted at Polling Unit 003, Okelele, Ikogosi-Ekiti, in Ekiti West Local Government Area, described the conduct of the election as satisfactory and encouraged eligible voters to participate peacefully in the democratic process.

Similarly, the Commissioner of Police in charge of the election, CP Abayomi Shogunle, stated that no case of vote-buying was reported to security agencies during the poll.

Voting ended before 3 p.m. in many polling units, after which sorting and counting of ballots commenced. However, some locations experienced minor disruptions.

At Polling Unit 008 in Ugele/Arokun Ward, Ikere Local Government Area, sorting and counting reportedly became rowdy as party agents and supporters disagreed over the validity of some ballot papers.

At Polling Unit 006, where the PDP candidate voted, voting was still ongoing as of 4 p.m. due to delays caused by accreditation challenges.

Security personnel later intervened to restore order when the situation became tense.

Election observers generally commended the peaceful conduct of the exercise while raising concerns about some procedural issues.

First Vice President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Sebastian Anyia, described the process as peaceful and orderly, expressing optimism that the smooth conduct witnessed during accreditation would continue throughout the election.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Women Trust Fund, Brenda Anugwom, praised the determination shown by female voters.

“The women are so resilient; in front of me at the other polling unit, they are laying their blankets on the floor and placing their toddlers, which means they are here to stay; they mean business, and they really want to cast their vote,” she said.

Meanwhile, election monitoring group Yiaga Africa raised concerns over what it described as discrepancies between ballot papers, result sheets and INEC’s published list of candidates.

In a statement signed by Aisha Abdullahi, Chair of the 2026 Ekiti Election Observation Mission, and Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, Samson Itodo, the organisation said:
“Yiaga Africa is observing the Ekiti State governorship election, and our preliminary findings raise serious concerns about the consistency of the materials INEC has deployed.”

The group warned that the inconsistencies could create confusion during voting and collation processes.

Reacting to the concerns, INEC explained that 19 political parties were included on the ballot paper to avoid the cost of printing fresh ballot papers following court orders and other administrative changes.

Ahead of the election, INEC repeatedly assured residents of its readiness to conduct a credible and transparent poll, while security agencies stated that extensive preparations had been made to ensure a peaceful exercise.

The Nigeria Police Force led a multi-agency security operation across the state, deploying personnel to polling units, collation centres and other strategic locations.

Authorities also imposed restrictions on vehicular movement during voting hours and warned political actors against violence, vote-buying and other electoral offences.

With the declaration of the final result, Oyebanji has secured a second term as governor of Ekiti State after recording a decisive victory over his opponents in the governorship election.

Election Results

Biodun Oyebanji (APC) – 319,224 votes
Oluwole Oluyede (PDP) – 40,543 votes
Dare Bejide (ADC) – 12,872 votes

Election Statistics

Accredited Voters: 384,940
Valid Votes: 375,777
Rejected Votes: 6,332
Total Votes Cast: 382,109

Governor Biodun Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has recorded an early lead in the ongoing Ekiti State governorship election after defeating the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Dare Bejide, in his polling unit and ward.

The result was declared at Polling Unit 004, Ward 2, Ekiti South-West Local Government Area, where Bejide hails from.

The ward is also shared with IT expert and politician Makinde Araoye.

ALSO READ: Oyo APC Rejects LG Election, Says Makinde Wants to Rule by Proxy After Exit

According to the results announced, Oyebanji polled 140 votes, while Bejide secured 37 votes.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) recorded 2 votes.

Result breakdown for PU 004, Ward 2:
APC: 140 votes
ADC: 37 votes
PDP: 2 votes

The outcome handed the APC an early advantage as collation of results continues across the state under the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The result is seen as significant because Bejide lost in his own polling unit, an area expected to favour him as a native of the ward.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has addressed concerns over technical challenges experienced during the Ondo South Senatorial District by-election, assuring voters that the election process remains peaceful, transparent, and credible.

Speaking to journalists on Saturday in Okitipupa while monitoring the exercise, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Ondo State, Mr. Mutiu Agboke, acknowledged reports of network-related issues affecting voter accreditation in some polling units but said the commission’s technical team was already working to resolve the problem.

SEE ALSO: Gunmen Strike Ondo Farm, Kill Two as Police Rescue Kidnap Victims

“It is something from the centre and our technical team is looking at it. We are using machines and anything can happen. What is important is our ability to respond professionally and resolve any challenge that arises,” Agboke stated.

Despite the challenges, the REC expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the by-election, noting that most polling units opened on time, with electoral officials arriving early to commence voting.

“We saw enthusiasm among voters to participate in the election. Our officials were at the polling units early and, largely, most of the polling units opened on time,” he said.

Agboke further revealed that security personnel had been strategically deployed across the six local government areas involved in the election, adding that no incidents of violence or casualties had been recorded.

On voter turnout, he said it was still too early to provide an accurate assessment, explaining that INEC would rely on data generated from its monitoring dashboard before making any official declaration.

Also speaking, INEC National Commissioner, Prof. Kunle Ajayi, clarified the process of transmitting and collating election results, particularly regarding the use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV).

“After counting at each polling unit and entering the scores in the appropriate forms, the result sheets will be uploaded to IReV using the BVAS machine. The physical copies will then move from the polling unit to the Registration Area collation centre, the local government collation centre and finally the senatorial collation centre,” Ajayi explained.

He also dismissed the misconception that IReV automatically calculates election results.

“Some people think that IReV automatically provides total scores. No, it does not. It only displays the uploaded result sheets. The final result will be determined at the senatorial collation centre where all scores are collated,” he said.

The Ondo South Senatorial District by-election is being conducted to fill the vacant seat left by former senator Jimoh Ibrahim following his appointment as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations.