Governor Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti State and his deputy, Monisade Afuye, on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, received their Certificates of Return from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), formally sealing their victory in the June 20 governorship election.
The ceremony in Ado-Ekiti confirmed Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for a second consecutive term, making him the first governor in Ekiti State to win back-to-back elections since the state’s creation in 1996.
INEC National Commissioner for Ekiti, Oyo and Lagos States, Sam Olumekun, described the poll as peaceful and credible, commending stakeholders for a smooth exercise and noting that the certificates marked the end of the electoral process and the start of governance.
Oyebanji secured 319,224 votes across 16 local government areas, defeating 13 candidates. Wole Oluyede of the PDP polled 40,543 votes, while Dare Bejide of the ADC scored 12,872.
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The ADC candidate rejected the result, alleging vote-buying. Civil society observers also cited reported irregularities, including vote-buying claims and technical glitches with voter accreditation devices.
Despite the concerns, the outcome is widely regarded as one of the most decisive in Ekiti State’s recent electoral history.
Oyebanji called for unity and urged political actors to focus on development, pledging continued investment in infrastructure, education, healthcare, agriculture and economic growth.
Ekiti Resident Electoral Commissioner Bunmi Omoseyindemi described the election as peaceful and well conducted, adding that lessons from the process would strengthen future polls.