Trending 
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate, Dare Bejide, lost his polling unit and ward to Governor Biodun Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Saturday, as early results from the Ekiti State governorship election began to emerge.
Bejide, who hails from Ward 2 in Ekiti South-West Local Government Area, polled 37 votes at Polling Unit 004, while Oyebanji secured 140 votes. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) recorded two votes.
The outcome gave the APC an early advantage as collation of results continued across the state’s 16 local government areas, with over 1 million registered voters eligible to participate in the off-cycle governorship contest.
Earlier on Saturday, Bejide had alleged that a presidential aide brought fake policemen to his polling unit and assaulted him and his driver during Saturday’s governorship election.
He claimed his driver was assaulted and hospitalised after confronting individuals allegedly distributing money near the polling centre.
Governor Oyebanji, 58, seeking a second term on his Shared Prosperity Agenda platform, voted earlier at Polling Unit 003, Ward 6, in Ikogosi-Ekiti. He expressed confidence in victory, telling journalists he expected the APC to surpass the 500,000-vote target.
“If the process continues this way, and everyone is able to vote, then we should cross the 500,000 votes target. I am confident of victory,” Oyebanji said.
The governor, who would become the first in Ekiti’s history to win two consecutive terms if re-elected, has consolidated political dominance in the state, with the APC controlling all nine National Assembly seats, all 26 State House of Assembly seats, and all 16 local government councils.
