Governor Fayemi Commends Electoral Process and Voter Turnout
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Biodun Oyebanji, the incumbent Governor of Ekiti State and candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the victor of the gubernatorial election held yesterday. Mr. Oyebanji, whose current term ends in October, achieved a significant victory, garnering a total of 319,224 votes across all 2,445 polling stations in the state, as reported on INEC’s Results Viewing Portal (IREV).
Professor Adenike Oladeji, the vice-chancellor of the Federal University of Technology and reelection officer, revealed that Oyebanji triumphed in all 16 Local Government Areas (LGAs), decisively defeating his closest opponent, Oluwole Oluyede of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who received 40,543 votes.
Efforts Recognized Amid Concerns of Electoral Malpractices
While both Governor Oyebanji and his predecessor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, praised the overall conduct of the election and the high voter turnout, civil society organizations raised alarms about several incidents, particularly concerning vote-buying and voter intimidation in various local governments. INEC completed the uploading and collation of results from all polling stations early today.
A total of 14 candidates contended in this off-cycle gubernatorial election, with Oyebanji campaigning for a second term. His key adversaries included Oluyede from the PDP, Oluwadare Bejide of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Oyebanji Olajuyin of the Labor Party (LP), and Blessing Abegunde of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).
Governor and Former Governor Highlight Election Integrity
After casting his vote, Governor Oyebanji commended the electoral process, emphasizing the large turnout as a testament to the populace’s commitment to democracy. Following his voting experience at Ikogosi Ekiti, he noted minor challenges but assured citizens that these would not disenfranchise anyone. “There may be hiccups in any process, but I am satisfied because I have received the assurance that such problems will be resolved,” he stated.
He highlighted reports indicating robust voter participation and praised the efforts of INEC and security agencies for maintaining a generally peaceable environment conducive to voting. Dr. Fayemi echoed similar sentiments, detailing a seamless certification process and commending INEC officials for their efficiency during the voting period.
Observers Acknowledge Calm Environment with Grave Warnings
The civil society organizations monitoring the election confirmed that the polling environment was tranquil overall, albeit with notable concerns regarding vote-buying and voter intimidation. The EU-SDGN Election Observation Hub, in collaboration with the Kinpact Development Initiative (KDI), reported 24 instances of electoral fraud across nine local government areas.
Notably, they cited Irepodun/Ifelodun and Ado-Ekiti as areas where attempts to influence voters and compromise ballot secrecy were most pronounced. The groups warned that unchecked vote-buying and coercive schemes could erode public trust in the electoral process.
Allegations of Electoral Fraud Intensify
Emmanuel Fayose, brother of the former governor Ayodele Fayose, has demanded the annulment of results from Afao-Ekiti, claiming widespread election rigging aimed at invalidating votes for the ADC. During a press briefing, he criticized the electoral process as undemocratic and noted that support for opposition parties was being deliberately undermined.
On the other hand, the PDP gubernatorial candidate, Oluwole Oluyede, expressed his grievances regarding the conduct of the elections in the Ugere/Arokun constituency, citing issues with the Bimodal Voter Verification System (BVAS) and reported voter harassment. Accord Party’s candidate, Opeyemi Faregan, echoed concerns about rampant vote-buying and operational failures, alleging that substantial sums of money were offered to voters in exchange for their votes.
Discrepancies Highlighted by Monitoring Group
Yaaga Africa has raised serious concerns about inconsistencies between the ballot papers, result sheets, and the candidate list published by INEC. Their findings indicate that the voting unit result sheet failed to encompass all 19 political parties represented on the circulating ballot paper. The organization reiterated that addressing these discrepancies is crucial for maintaining the integrity of the electoral process.
