Governor Biodun Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been declared winner of the Ekiti State governorship election, despite widespread allegations of violence, vote buying, voter intimidation and other electoral irregularities that reportedly tainted the exercise.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced Oyebanji as the winner after he secured 319,224 votes, defeating his closest challenger, Dr. Wole Oluyede of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who garnered 40,543 votes. The candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Ambassador Dare Bejide, came third with 12,872 votes.
The election, conducted across 2,445 polling units in the state’s 16 local government areas, saw over one million eligible voters expected to participate. However, voter turnout was reported to be uneven, with impressive participation in some areas and low turnout in others.
Violence Erupts at Polling Units
The election witnessed pockets of violence in several parts of the state, with one of the most notable incidents occurring at Ilawe-Ekiti in Ekiti South Local Government Area.
A confrontation reportedly broke out involving security personnel allegedly attached to a presidential aide and ADC governorship candidate, Ambassador Dare Bejide. The clash allegedly resulted in the assault of Bejide’s driver, who sustained injuries and was rushed to a hospital for treatment.
Bejide accused political thugs allegedly linked to the APC of attacking voters and disrupting the electoral process. The State Commissioner of Police later visited the scene to assess the situation and engage relevant stakeholders.
According to the EU-SDGN Election Observation Hub, at least 24 incidents of election-related violence were recorded across 10 local government areas during the poll.
Vote Buying Allegations Surface
Several opposition parties and election observers raised concerns over widespread vote buying during the election.
Reports indicated that voters were allegedly offered between N5,000 and N20,000 in exchange for support, with incidents recorded in areas including Emure-Ekiti and Ose-Ekiti.
Observers claimed that party agents, particularly those of the ruling APC, requested voters to display their ballot papers as evidence of compliance before receiving payment.
Rather than distributing cash directly at polling units, some agents reportedly issued identification numbers to voters for later collection of funds.
Videos circulating on social media also appeared to show individuals allegedly distributing money to voters during the election.
Controversy Over PVC Distribution
Further controversy emerged following allegations that uncollected Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) were distributed to individuals allegedly brought into the state to influence the outcome of the election.
The Movement for Credible Elections (MCE), a civil society organisation, called for an immediate investigation into the claims.
In a statement, the group’s convener, Wale Okunniyi, warned that if confirmed, the alleged distribution of PVCs would constitute a serious violation of Nigeria’s electoral laws and undermine public confidence in the democratic process.
“The circulation of these videos has generated widespread public concern and threatens to erode trust in the integrity of the electoral process,” he said.
Isaac Fayose Rejects Election Outcome
Reacting to the conduct of the election, businessman and Ekiti indigene, Isaac Fayose, dismissed the exercise as lacking credibility.
Fayose alleged that voters were intimidated and that the election failed to meet democratic standards.
“There was no election in Ekiti today. What happened was intimidation and oppression of the people,” he said, describing the exercise as a “coup against democracy.”
Questions Over Electoral Credibility
While INEC has officially declared Oyebanji winner of the governorship contest, allegations of violence, vote buying, voter inducement and PVC-related infractions have cast a shadow over the election, raising fresh concerns about electoral integrity and the future of democratic governance in Nigeria.
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