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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Prof. Dayo Faduyile of the All Progressives Congress (APC) winner of the Ondo South Senatorial District by-election held on Saturday.
The result was announced on Sunday at the collation centre in Okitipupa, Okitipupa Local Government Area of Ondo State by the Returning Officer, Prof. Gbenga Solomon-Ibileye, Vice Chancellor of the Federal University, Lokoja.
According to him, Faduyile secured a decisive lead with 68,474 votes to emerge winner of the contest. Adeolu Akinwunmi of the Allied People’s Movement came second with 1,411 votes, while Adesanya Olaoluwa of the Action Peoples Party polled 213 votes. Clement Funso-Nejo of the Boot Party recorded 70 votes.
Solomon-Ibileye added that the total valid votes cast stood at 70,770, while 602 ballots were rejected during collation.
The election was conducted across six local government areas in the senatorial district: Okitipupa, Ilaje, Ese-Odo, Irele, Odigbo, and Ile-Oluji/Oke-Igbo.
Reacting to the process, the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in Ondo State, Mutiu Agboke, described the by-election as a useful exercise for strengthening future polls, noting that it would serve as a benchmark ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Agboke said observed challenges would be addressed in subsequent electoral processes, adding that the commission is committed to continuous improvement.
“The results of the election reflected the people’s voice and thank God that all INEC staff who went to the riverine came back safely and no negative report anywhere,” he said.
The by-election became necessary following the appointment of former senator Jimoh Ibrahim as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, creating a vacancy in the upper legislative chamber for Ondo South.
