Ekiti Decides: INEC Declares Oyebanji Winner as APC Sweeps All 16 LGAs

The Independent National Electoral Commission has declared the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Biodun Oyebanji, winner of the 2026 Ekiti State governorship election.

The Returning Officer for the election, Prof. Adenike Oladiji, announced the result in the early hours of Sunday at the INEC State Collation Centre in Ado-Ekiti, declaring Oyebanji re-elected after satisfying the constitutional requirements.

“Therefore, I, Adenike Oladiji, the 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 stands re-elected,” she said.

According to the final results announced by INEC, Governor Oyebanji secured 319,224 votes to defeat his closest challengers, Olumayokun Oluyede of the Peoples Democratic Party, who polled 40,533 votes, and Dare Bejide of the African Democratic Congress, who garnered 12,872 votes.

INEC disclosed that 988,251 voters were registered for the election, while 384,940 voters were accredited. Out of 382,109 votes cast, 375,777 were declared valid.

The results showed a dominant performance by the APC across the state, with Oyebanji winning all 16 local government areas.

One of the notable outcomes was in Ikere Local Government Area, the home base of PDP candidate Oluyede. Despite contesting from the area, he lost to the incumbent governor, who secured 11,116 votes, while the PDP candidate polled 9,872 votes. The ADC candidate received 245 votes.

Local Government Results

The outcome gives Governor Oyebanji a fresh mandate after a landslide victory, further consolidating the APC’s control of Ekiti State following a campaign in which the incumbent sought re-election on the strength of his administration’s performance.