The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has officially declared Governor Biodun Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the 2026 Ekiti State governorship election, securing a second term in office
Oyebanji won decisively across the state’s 16 local government areas, polling 319,224 votes to defeat his closest challengers — Olumayokun Oluyede of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who garnered 40,533 votes, and Dare Bejide of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), who secured 12,872 votes.
The election results were announced in the early hours of Sunday by the Returning Officer, Prof. Adenike Oladiji, Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, at INEC’s headquarters on Iyin Road in Ado-Ekiti.
Declaring the result, Oladiji said, “Therefore, I, Adenike, am the returning officer for the 2026 Ekiti governorship election… Oyebanji Abiodun Abayomi, having satisfied the requirements of the law, is hereby declared the winner and stands re-elected.”
INEC disclosed that the state has 988,251 registered voters, with 384,940 accredited for the election. A total of 382,109 votes were cast, while 375,777 were declared valid.
In a surprising outcome, PDP candidate Oluyede lost in his home local government area of Ikere Ekiti. The APC secured 8,742 votes in the council area, while the PDP trailed with 2,051 votes.
Oyebanji’s commanding victory further strengthens the APC’s hold on Ekiti State as he prepares to begin another four-year term as governor.