By Friday Temitope Eugenia

National News – The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Governor Biodun Oyebanji, winner of the 2026 Ekiti State governorship election after securing a landslide victory across the state’s 16 local government areas.

Announcing the results in the early hours of Sunday at the State Collation Centre in Ado-Ekiti, the Returning Officer, Prof. Adenike Oladiji, said Oyebanji polled 319,224 votes to defeat his closest challenger, Oluwole Oluyede of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who garnered 40,543 votes.

The African Democratic Party (ADP) candidate, Dare Bejide, came third with 12,872 votes.

According to Oladiji, who is also the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, 384,940 voters were accredited for the election. She disclosed that 375,777 votes were valid, while 6,332 ballots were rejected.

Voting commenced at about 8:31 a.m. on Saturday and officially ended at 2:30 p.m., with more than 300,000 voters participating in the exercise.

Results collated from all 16 local government areas showed the APC candidate dominating across the state. Oyebanji recorded significant victories in Ado, Ekiti West, Irepodun/Ifelodun, Ikole, Moba and several other councils.

In Ado Local Government, the APC secured 38,026 votes against PDP’s 3,817 votes, while in Ekiti West, Oyebanji polled 28,258 votes to PDP’s 3,644. He also won Irepodun/Ifelodun with 29,278 votes and Ikole with 26,508 votes.

The outcome marks a renewed mandate for Oyebanji, who will continue in office after emerging overwhelmingly ahead of his opponents in the governorship contest.