Voters across Ekiti State are heading to the polls today, Saturday, June 20, 2026, to elect a governor who will lead the state for the next four years. Ten political parties are in the race to stop the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in today’s governorship election, in a contest poised to test political strength, governance record, and voter sentiment across the state’s 16 local government areas. The election is one of Nigeria’s seven off-cycle governorship contests and is taking place across 177 wards and 2,445 polling units, with electoral officials, security agencies, and political parties declaring their readiness for the exercise.

According to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) , 1,059,360 registered voters are expected to participate in the election. Of this number, 1,028,929 have collected their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) , representing a collection rate of 97.1 percent. INEC has completed the distribution of sensitive and non-sensitive election materials, while ad hoc staff and electoral officers have undergone training ahead of the poll. Voting is scheduled to commence at 8:00 a.m. across all polling units. Security agencies, including the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Army, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), have deployed personnel across the state to maintain law and order throughout the electoral process.

Fourteen candidates are contesting the election on the platforms of various political parties. However, most political analysts regard the race as effectively a three-way contest between the APC, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) , and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) , with other parties having largely faded from serious contention. The full list of candidates includes: Governor Biodun Oyebanji (APC); Dr Wole Oluyede (PDP); Ambassador Dare Bejide (ADC); Opeyemi Falegan (Accord); Omotosho Matthew Olu (AA); Olajuyin Ikusayede Gbegbe Oyebanji (LP); Abegunde Ayobami Blessing (NNPP); Akande Oluwasegun Samuel (AAC); Ayodeji Ojo (ADP); Anifowose Joseph Olanrewaju (APM); Awogbemi Bidemi Olaiya (APP); Ayodele Olaniyi Olanrewaju Praise (PRP); Osinkolu Olusegun Ayodele (YPP); and Adetunji Victor Damilola (ZLP). Notably, no political party nominated a woman as its governorship candidate. Women were represented only as deputy governorship candidates, with four parties—the ADP, APC, APM, and PRP—fielding female running mates.

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Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji is seeking a second four-year term on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), with his deputy, Monisade Afuye, retained as running mate. If re-elected, Oyebanji would become the first governor in Ekiti’s history to win two consecutive terms, as no incumbent has won re-election since the state elected Adeniyi Adebayo as its first governor in 1999. Oyebanji enters the poll as the clear favourite. He won the 2022 governorship election with 187,057 votes, defeating Segun Oni of the SDP and Bisi Kolawole of the PDP. His administration’s six-point Shared Prosperity Agenda, focused on education, healthcare, infrastructure, agriculture, economic growth, and social welfare, has earned broad approval among civil servants, pensioners, youths, and vulnerable groups. His re-election bid has attracted significant endorsements from across the political spectrum. All four former governors of the state—Adeniyi Adebayo, Olusegun Oni, Ayodele Fayose, and Kayode Fayemi—have thrown their support behind Oyebanji. The APC National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, declared at the party’s campaign flag-off that the governor had effectively secured victory ahead of the election, stating, “Take a bow because you have won already.” The APC controls all nine National Assembly seats, all 26 seats in the State House of Assembly, all 16 local government councils, and 22 Local Council Development Areas, a structural dominance that gives Oyebanji a formidable electoral machine. Some internal party tension lingers, however, following primaries in which several incumbent lawmakers lost their tickets. Joseph Anifowose of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) has withdrawn and endorsed Oyebanji, citing the governor’s record on infrastructure and social services.

Ambassador Oluwadare Patrick Bejide, a former Secretary to the State Government and ex-Nigerian Ambassador to Canada, has positioned himself as the consensus alternative to both the APC and PDP. The ADC attracted several opposition heavyweights, including former Deputy Governor Kolapo Olusola-Eleka, former Commissioner for Information Akin Omole, and businessman Funsho Ayeni, giving it a credible profile at the top. Bejide emerged as the ADC candidate after defeating four other contestants—including former Deputy Governor Prof. Kolapo Olusola-Eleka—in the party’s primary election. Former Senate President David Mark, who now chairs the ADC, and former Osun Governor Rauf Aregbesola have both campaigned publicly for Bejide, leading the party’s grand finale campaign rally in Ado-Ekiti. ADC supporters have expressed confidence that Bejide can address pressing issues such as insecurity, kidnapping, unemployment, and the cost of university education. However, analysts say the ADC’s principal weakness is structural: it lacks the deep ward-level network that converts rally crowds into actual votes.

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Dr Wole Oluyede, a medical practitioner and businessman from Ikere-Ekiti in Ekiti South Senatorial District, is flying the flag of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). His candidacy carries a regional appeal: no governor has emerged from Ekiti South since the state’s creation, and his hometown remains one of the largest voting centres in the state. Oluyede has framed his campaign around the marginalisation of the southern senatorial district, arguing that it is the turn of the South to produce the next governor. He has also criticized the incumbent administration’s performance, stating, “If Governor Biodun Oyebanji had not performed poorly despite the huge monthly allocations to the state there won’t be need for me to contest against this administration.” His running mate, Deji Ogunsakin, is expected to shore up support in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital and highest-turnout zone. The PDP remains the state’s principal opposition platform but faces internal challenges. The most damaging blow to his campaign came not from the APC but from within: former Governor Ayodele Fayose, the PDP’s most powerful voice in Ekiti, publicly endorsed Oyebanji, a defection that political analysts say has significantly deflated the PDP’s prospects. Oluyede has attempted to distance himself from godfather politics, stating that the people of the state are his real godfather.

This election carries significant historical weight. The APC now controls the Presidency, the Ekiti State Government, and all 16 local government areas. APC spokesperson Segun Dipe summed up the party’s confidence, saying, “In 2026, alignment replaces confrontation; the script has flipped.” The election is seen as a critical test of electoral preparedness, institutional resilience, and citizens’ trust in the democratic process ahead of the 2027 General Elections. The Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) has called on all stakeholders to uphold the principles of peace, transparency, inclusivity, and electoral integrity throughout the electoral process.