Oyebanji Emerges First Ekiti Gov To Secure Consecutive Re-Election Since 1999

Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has been re-elected for a second term.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Oyebanji the winner of Saturday’s governorship election after he defeated 13 other candidates across the state’s 16 local government areas.

According to INEC, Oyebanji polled 319,224 votes to defeat his closest rival, Oluwole Oluyede of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who scored 40,533 votes.

The candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dare Bejide, came third with 2,872 votes.

Oyebanji’s victory makes him the first Ekiti governor to secure consecutive re-election since the return of democracy in 1999.

Although former Governor, Kayode Fayemi, won a second term in 2018 after earlier serving between 2010 and 2014, he did so after leaving office and returning through another election cycle.

Oyebanji’s victory, therefore, stands out in a state known for its unpredictable political history and frequent changes in leadership.

The election featured candidates from 13 other political parties. Among the major challengers were Oluyede of the PDP and Bejide of the ADC.

Other parties that fielded candidates included the Labour Party (LP), Accord Party (A), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Action Democratic Party (ADP), Action Alliance (AA), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), African Action Congress (AAC), Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Young Progressives Party (YPP), Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) and Action Peoples Party (APP).