The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Governor Biodun Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the 2026 Ekiti State governorship election, securing his re-election for another four-year term.
According to the official results announced by INEC, Oyebanji polled 319,224 votes to defeat his closest rival, Mr. Wole Oluyede of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who garnered 40,543 votes. Mr. Oluwadare Bejide of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) came third with 12,872 votes.
Governor Oyebanji recorded a sweeping victory, winning in all 16 Local Government Areas of the state.
Reports from election observers indicated that the governorship election was conducted peacefully across the state. With this victory, Oyebanji makes political history as the first governor since Ekiti State was created in 1996 to win back-to-back governorship elections.
In his acceptance speech, Governor Oyebanji described the outcome as “the beautiful face of an absolute consensus.” He expressed deep appreciation to the people of Ekiti for voting in support of continuity and stability.
He said, “By delivering a clean sweep across all 16 local governments and entrusting us with 85% of the popular vote, you have shattered records and built an unbreakable wall of unity.”
He added, “We will continue to implement the shared prosperity agenda and will not relent until poverty and inequality are drastically reduced. Our government will remain committed to policies and programmes built around the six pillars of our development agenda for the state.”
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, also congratulated Governor Oyebanji on his victory, describing the result as a reflection of the governor’s impactful projects in Ekiti State, particularly in infrastructure and education.
The President further commended security agencies for ensuring a peaceful and hitch-free electoral process, while urging INEC to continue strengthening the electoral system ahead of the general elections.
