ADO EKITI: Voters in Ekiti State are heading to the polls today for an off-cycle governorship election that will test the governance record of the incumbent administration and reshape the state's political landscape ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Incumbent Governor Biodun Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is seeking a second four-year term alongside his deputy, Monisade Afuye. A victory would make Oyebanji the first governor in the history of Ekiti State to secure two consecutive terms.
In addition to the flagship governorship race, voters are casting ballots in four senatorial bye-elections across Enugu, Rivers, Ondo, and Nasarawa states, alongside legislative bye-elections in Kano and Kebbi states. In Ekiti, over one million registered voters across 2,445 polling units will determine the outcome.
The Front-Runner: Biodun Oyebanji (APC)
Governor Oyebanji enters the election as the clear favorite, building on his 2022 victory where he secured 187,057 votes. His administration’s six-point Shared Prosperity Agenda—focused on education, healthcare, infrastructure, agriculture, economic growth, and social welfare—has garnered widespread support from civil servants, youth groups, and retirees.
Oyebanji’s re-election bid has received cross-party endorsements from former governors Adeniyi Adebayo, Ayodele Fayose, Kayode Fayemi, and Segun Oni, as well as prominent legal figures Afe Babalola and Wole Olanipekun. The APC enters the poll with a formidable structural advantage, controlling all nine National Assembly seats, all 26 state legislative seats, and all 16 local government councils. However, the party faces minor internal friction following recent primaries where several incumbent lawmakers lost their tickets.
The field of challengers narrowed slightly to 11 candidates after Joseph Anifowose of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) withdrew from the race to endorse the incumbent governor.
The Coalition Challenger: Dare Bejide (ADC)
Ambassador Dare Bejide of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has emerged as the primary consensus alternative to the major parties. A former Secretary to the State Government and ex-Nigerian Ambassador to Canada, Bejide has attracted several high-profile opposition figures to his campaign, including former Deputy Governor Kolapo Olusola-Eleka and former Commissioner Akin Omole.
While Bejide's campaign has received high-profile endorsements from former Senate President David Mark and former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola, political analysts note that the ADC's primary vulnerability is its lack of a deep, ward-level organizational network required to convert campaign momentum into votes across all 16 local government areas.
The Divided Opposition: Wole Oluyede (PDP)
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Dr. Wole Oluyede, is attempting to revive his party's fortunes by leveraging regional sentiments. Oluyede hails from Ikere-Ekiti in the Ekiti South Senatorial District—a major voting bloc that has never produced a governor since the state's creation.
Despite this regional advantage and the strategic selection of Deji Ogunsakin from the high-turnout capital of Ado-Ekiti as his running mate, Oluyede’s campaign faced a severe setback. Former Governor Ayodele Fayose, the most influential figure within the state's PDP structure, publicly broke ranks to endorse the APC's Oyebanji, significantly damaging the PDP's electoral prospects.
Minor Parties and Electoral Outlook
Eight other candidates are on the ballot representing the AAC, Accord, ADP, APP, Labour Party, NNPP, PRP, YPP, and ZLP. While none are currently projected to challenge the front-runners for victory, their performance could impact the final victory margins in what remains a highly scrutinized off-cycle election.