The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has declared the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC),Mr. Biodun Oyebanji the winner of the as the winner of the Ekiti State governorship election conducted on Saturday.
The Returning Officer for Mrs. Adenike Oladiji, announced that Oyebanji polled a total 319,224 votes to defeat his closes rival and the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Oluwole Oluyede, who polled 40,543 votes, while Dare Bejide of the African Democratic Party (ADP) polled 12,872 votes.
According to the returning officer, a total of 384,940 voters were accredited for the election, with 375,777 valid votes, 6,332 rejected votes, and total votes cast.
Meanwhile, there was widespread reports of violence, vote buying and and alleged intimidation of opposition party agents during the election.
Several cases of irregularities were reported in some polling units as election observers noted that in most of the poling units, officials of the ruling APC in the state paid out “bribes” ranging from 10,000 to 25,000 to voters in the full glare of INEC officials and security agencies.
Thugs were reported to have disrupted election in various poling units that opposition political parties had more supporters.
Ekiti State has 16 local governments, 177 Wards, and 2,445 polling units.
The state, according to INEC has 1,059,360 registered voters, but collected Permanent Voters’ (PVC) Card stands at 1,028,929 at the time of the election. 14 political parties fielded candidates for the election.