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.

Returning Officer for the election, Adenike Oladiji, announced the result at about 3:13 a.m. on Sunday, declaring that Oyebanji secured a total of 319,224 votes to defeat his closest rivals in the contest conducted across the state’s 16 local government areas.

Oladiji, a professor and Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, said the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Oluwole Oluyede, scored 40,543 votes, while Dare Bejide of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) polled 12,872 votes.

She further disclosed that 384,940 voters were accredited for the election, while 375,777 valid votes were recorded.

According to her, 6,332 votes were rejected, bringing the total votes cast to 382,109.

The declaration brought to a close a closely watched governorship election in which voters across Ekiti State turned out on Saturday to elect a governor amid a generally peaceful atmosphere, despite reports of technical challenges and allegations of irregularities in some locations.

Before the declaration of results, the election witnessed a mixture of orderly voting, technical challenges and allegations of irregularities, even as observers and many voters commended security agencies for maintaining peace throughout much of the exercise.

INEC reported that all 2,445 polling units designated for the governorship election opened for voting.

According to the commission, 2,257 polling units, representing 92.31 per cent, opened on schedule before 8:30 a.m., while 188 polling units, accounting for 7.69 per cent, experienced minor delays but commenced voting before 10:30 a.m.

The commission also commenced the upload of polling unit results to its Result Viewing Portal (IReV) after voting and counting ended in several locations.

During the election, the PDP candidate, Oluwole Oluyede, expressed dissatisfaction with developments at Ugele/Arokun Ward in Ikere Local Government Area.

Speaking to journalists after casting his vote at Polling Unit 006, he alleged that many voters were unable to vote because of problems associated with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).

He also alleged voter harassment and intimidation at the ward.

Earlier, elderly voters at the same polling unit had expressed frustration after being unable to complete accreditation due to BVAS challenges and called on INEC to urgently rectify the situation.

The candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dare Bejide, also alleged irregularities during the election.

However, Oyebanji rejected the allegations.

The governor told journalists after casting his vote at Polling Unit 003, Okelele, Ikogosi-Ekiti, in Ekiti West Local Government Area, that anyone making such allegations must substantiate them with evidence.

He described the conduct of the election as satisfactory and encouraged eligible voters who had not yet voted to come out peacefully and perform their civic duty.

Similarly, the Commissioner of Police in charge of the election, CP Abayomi Shogunle, said that no case of vote-buying was reported to the agency.