The former Secretary to the Ekiti State Government and the standard bearer of the All Progressives Congress, Mr. Abiodun Abayomi Oyebanji has been declared winner of the governorship election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). He polled 187,057 votes to defeat 15 other contestants. He will be sworn in October 16, 2022.

According to the Governorship election returning officer, Professor Oyebode Adebowale, Mr. Oyebanji has satisfied all the requirements of the law. “That Biodun Oyebanji, the candidate of APC, having satisfied the requirements of the law, is hereby declared the winner and returned,”

The INEC returning officer, who is also the Vice-Chancellor, University of Ibadan, gave the breakdown of the total votes scored by the participating political parties: Mr Segun Oni, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate, scored 82, 211, to come second.

According to him, others were the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Chief Bisi Kolawole, who polled 67,457; Accord (A) scored 166; African Action Congress (AAC) 409; All Progressives Grand Alliance,(APGA) 17 while Action Democratic Congress (ADC) polled 141 votes.

Also, the Action Democratic Party (ADP) scored 5,597; Allied Peoples Movement (APM) -290; Labour Party (LP) polled 195 votes; New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) scored 529 and National Rescue Movement (NRM) 347.

The rest were, Young Progressives Party (YPP)-618; All Peoples Party (APP) polled 1,980 and Zenith Labour Party,(ZLP) polled 282; Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) polled 856.

According to the INEC Returning Officer, the total numbers of registered voters were 989,224, accredited voters, 363,438, valid votes were, 351865 and voided votes were 8888.

The election was however, marred with allegations of vote buying with officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission making some arrests. The candidate of the Social Democratic Party, Engr Segun Oni said “I’ve received reports of vote-buying in Ado and Oye,”