History was made on Saturday as Governor Biodun Oyebanji shattered Ekiti State’s decades-long succession curse with a resounding reelection victory.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate pulled off a clean sweep across all 16 local government areas.
Official results announced by INEC Returning Officer Prof. Adenike Oladiji confirmed that Oyebanji overwhelmingly outpaced his nearest rivals, Wole Oluyede of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Dare Bejide of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
With the outcome, Oyebanji is set to become the first governor in Ekiti State’s history to win re-election while serving in office, effectively breaking the state’s succession jinx that had seen governors fail to secure consecutive mandates since the creation of the state in 1996.
The APC candidate also became only the second governorship candidate to win all local government areas in an election in the state.
The first was former governor Ayodele Fayose, who achieved the feat in the 2014 governorship election.
Oyebanji’s victory extended beyond traditional APC strongholds, as he also triumphed in Ikere, the home council of PDP candidate, Oluyede, and Ekiti Southwest council area, the home base of ADC candidate Bejide.
According to the results announced, Oyebanji polled his highest votes in Ado Local Government Area, where he secured 38,026 votes against PDP’s 3,817 and ADC’s 1,054.
In Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Area, he garnered 29,278 votes, while he scored 28,258 votes in Ekiti West, 26,508 votes in Ikole, 26,359 votes in Ekiti East and 25,506 votes in Ijero.
The governor secured victories in Moba, Oye, Ido/Osi, Ayekire, Ise/Orun, Ikere, Emure, Efon and Ilejemeje local government areas.
The PDP candidate failed to win any local government, including his native Ikere council, where Oyebanji polled 11,116 votes against Oluyede’s 9,872 votes.
Similarly, ADC standard bearer Bejide lost in Ekiti South-West, his home local government, where he scored 1,076 votes compared to Oyebanji who garnered 14,705 votes.
