OSOGBO, Osun State — The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the forthcoming Osun State election, Bola Oyebamiji, has congratulated Ekiti State Governor Abiodun Oyebanji on his re-election victory, describing the outcome as a clear validation of the governor’s performance in office.
The Independent National Electoral Commission declared Oyebanji winner of the Saturday governorship election after he secured a landslide victory across all 16 local government areas of the state. The incumbent governor polled 319,224 votes to defeat his closest challenger, Wole Oluyede of the Peoples Democratic Party, who garnered 40,533 votes, while the African Democratic Congress candidate, Oluwadare Bejide, came third with 12,872 votes.
In a statement personally signed and made available to journalists on Sunday, Oyebamiji said the landslide victory reflected the confidence reposed in Governor Oyebanji by the people of Ekiti State as a result of his developmental strides since assuming office. “I warmly congratulate my brother and friend, His Excellency, Abiodun Oyebanji, on his re-election victory. The successful poll and the victory of our party are clear testimonies to the wide acceptability of our great party, the unparalleled transformations under the leadership of the governor, and the good works of our President, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” Oyebamiji said.
The APC governorship candidate also congratulated members of the party and residents of Ekiti State for what he described as a resounding electoral success. “I celebrate the good people of Ekiti State most sincerely and members of our party on this landslide victory, and I am confident that our hardworking and energetic governor will consolidate on his good works in his avowed determination to take Ekiti to greater heights,” he stated.
Oyebamiji expressed optimism that the APC would replicate its success in Ekiti during the August 15, 2026 governorship election in Osun State, maintaining that the outcome of the Ekiti poll had further strengthened the party’s resolve ahead of the election. He said the victory had demonstrated the confidence of the electorate in the APC and expressed confidence that the party would emerge victorious in Osun.
Governor Oyebanji’s re-election makes him the first governor in the history of Ekiti State to win consecutive re-election since the return of democracy in 1999. Although former Governor Kayode Fayemi won a second term in 2018, he did so after leaving office and returning through another election cycle rather than through immediate re-election as an incumbent.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu also congratulated Governor Oyebanji on his victory, commending the people of Ekiti State for their peaceful and orderly conduct and for reposing their trust in the governor. The President noted that Oyebanji’s first term was marked by significant strides in infrastructure, agriculture, youth employment, education, healthcare, and rural development under the BAO agenda.
With the victory, Oyebanji has secured another four years in office and strengthened the APC’s grip on Ekiti State. The outcome also marks another significant chapter in Ekiti’s political history, as the governor joins the list of leaders who have successfully secured a second term in the state’s democratic journey.
