Ekiti Polls Peaceful, Governor Oyebanji Set for Historic Landslide Victory — Finance Commissioner

ADO-EKITI, Nigeria — Ekiti State Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Akin Oyebode, has described the ongoing governorship election in the state as largely peaceful, orderly and credible, expressing confidence that Governor Biodun Oyebanji will secure a historic landslide victory at the polls.

Speaking with journalists at his residence after casting his vote in the Saturday poll, Oyebode said the election process had been characterized by peace and the absence of violence across the state, with voters freely exercising their democratic rights.

“I think for anyone who has been here for the elections, it was very peaceful. There is no record of violence. The people went out peacefully to vote for the candidates of their choice,” he said.

The commissioner predicted an overwhelming victory for the incumbent governor, saying the outcome would reflect widespread public approval of the administration’s performance over the past years.

“From all indications, Mr. Governor will return by a historic landslide. We believe that we will end up with at least 90 per cent of the votes cast today, which is a resounding endorsement of the governor’s first term,” Oyebode stated.

While commending the overall conduct of the exercise, he acknowledged that some polling units experienced delays due to technical issues with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).

“Nothing is perfect. There still needs to be some enhancements in terms of technology. A few units in my local government reported delayed accreditation because of BVAS issues. In some cases, the system only started working about an hour before the close of voting, which understandably frustrated voters,” he explained.

He, however, emphasized that the incidents were isolated and did not significantly affect the overall conduct of the election.

“By and large, materials arrived everywhere on time. The election was very peaceful, safe and secure. We expect the final outcome to show Nigerians that Governor Oyebanji is receiving a resounding endorsement from the people,” he added.

Development Agenda to Continue

Looking ahead to a possible second term for the governor, Oyebode said Ekiti residents should expect continuity in key development programmes, particularly in job creation, infrastructure, agriculture and tourism.

He highlighted the recently launched Ekiti Knowledge Zone project as one of the administration’s most transformative initiatives.

“A few weeks ago, we laid the foundation for the Ekiti Knowledge Zone, an ambitious project designed to create jobs for young people in Ekiti and contribute to Nigeria’s broader employment objectives. It is a project I am personally very excited about,” he said.

The commissioner also pointed to ongoing investments in road construction, agriculture and tourism, noting that the administration remains committed to implementing the state’s long-term development strategy.

“There is a lot of work going on in our tourism ecosystem. The investment in roads will continue, and so will our support for agriculture. What people should expect is continuity of development,” he said.

According to him, the administration has remained faithful to Ekiti State’s 30-year development plan inherited from the administration of former Governor Kayode Fayemi.

“We inherited the development plan and have continued to implement it. We did not issue a fresh manifesto because we are focused on delivering the promises already made to Ekiti people four years ago,” Oyebode noted.

APC’s Consistency Paying Off

On what he described as Governor Oyebanji’s impending historic re-election, the finance commissioner attributed the anticipated victory to a combination of performance, policy consistency and an enlightened electorate.

“People have seen the benefits of consistency in governance, consistency in ideas, philosophy and vision. Governor Oyebanji has demonstrated that allowing the APC to govern over an extended period is beneficial to Ekiti people,” he said.

He added that the governor’s expected victory would further reinforce public confidence in the continuity of governance under the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“That is why he is making history again as the first governor to win two terms back-to-back,” Oyebode declared.