#EkitiDecides2026: APC Leads Early Results as Vote Counting Begins

#EkitiDecides2026: APC Leads Early Results as Vote Counting Begins

Vote counting has commenced across polling units in Ekiti State as the governorship election enters a critical phase, with electoral officials sorting and tallying ballots cast by voters under the watchful eyes of party agents, election observers and security personnel.

Across several polling centres where voting had concluded, officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) began counting votes and announcing results at the polling-unit level before transmitting and moving them to ward collation centres in line with electoral guidelines.

One of the first results to emerge came from Polling Unit 031, Ward 9, in Ado-Ekiti Local Government Area, where counting was completed following a peaceful voting process.

According to the result announced at the polling unit, the All Progressives Congress (APC) secured 86 votes, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) polled 36 votes. The African Democratic Congress (ADC) received five votes.

The polling unit has a total of 782 registered voters, with 128 voters accredited and casting their ballots during the election.

Similar counting exercises were ongoing at other polling units across Ado-Ekiti and other parts of the state as electoral officials continued sorting ballot papers and recording results.

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At Polling Unit 015, Ward 9, which has 610 registered voters, officials commenced counting shortly after voting ended. The same process was underway at Polling Unit 009, Ward 10, where election officers began tallying votes cast by eligible voters.

Vote counting was also in progress at Polling Unit 017, Ward 9, which has 893 registered voters, while officials at Polling Unit 003, Ward 9, with 1,232 registered voters, were similarly sorting and counting ballots after the close of polls.

The commencement of vote counting followed a largely peaceful election across many parts of Ekiti State, with voters turning out to elect a governor who will lead the state for the next four years.

Earlier in the day, election observers reported orderly voting in most polling units, while security agencies maintained a strong presence to ensure the process remained peaceful and credible.

Across the state, party agents closely monitored the counting process, scrutinising every ballot and result sheet as required by electoral regulations. Many voters also remained at polling units to observe the counting and announcement of results.

INEC officials are expected to electronically transmit results where applicable and physically move result sheets to designated ward collation centres before further collation at local government and state levels.

The governorship election is being conducted across Ekiti State’s 16 local government areas, with political parties expressing confidence in their chances as votes continue to be counted.

Attention is now shifting to the collation centres, where results from polling units will be aggregated to determine the overall outcome of the election.

While early polling-unit results have started to emerge, the final outcome of the election will only be determined after the completion of collation and official declaration of results by INEC, the body constitutionally empowered to announce the winner.

As counting continues across the state, residents, political stakeholders and observers remain on edge, awaiting the results of one of Nigeria’s most closely watched off-cycle governorship elections.

#EkitiDecides2026: APC Leads Early Results as Vote Counting Begins