Segun Atanda/
After a keenly contested governorship election in Ekiti State yesterday, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has been declared winner early today by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The election was held in the 16 local government areas of the state.
Fayemi, a former governor of Ekiti State, will return to the Government House in October, to continue his job where he left off.
The former minister of mines and steel was declared the winner, following the collation of the results. As computed from INEC results, Fayemi polled 197,459 votes. His PDP rival, Prof Olusola Eleka, got 178,121 votes.
The chief returning officer, who is also the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Professor Abel Idowu Olayinka, declared Fayemi the winner and Governor-elect just before 8.00 am on Sunday.
Fifty-three-year-old Fayemi won in 12 of the l6 local governments, leaving Prof. Eleka, the remaining four.
Eleka won in his local council of Ikere-Ekiti, Emure, Efon and Ado-Ekiti.
Fayemi won in Ilejemeje, Irepodun/Ifelodun, which is the local council of the incumbent, Ayodele Fayose, Ido-Osi, Fayemi’s own local council.
The APC candidate also won in Oye, Moba, Ijero, Gboyin, Ekiti West, Ikole, Ise Orun, Ekiti East and Ekiti South West.
According to the results declared, a total of 403,451 votes were cast at the election. The rejected votes totalled 18, 857, while valid votes cast was 384,594.
In the first 14 local government areas announced by INEC between Saturday night and 5:45am on Sunday, Fayemi won in 10, while the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party and incumbent Deputy Governor, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, won in four.
In the remaining two local government areas of Ido Osi and Ekiti South West, Fayemi defeated the preferred candidate of the incumbent, Governor Ayo Fayose.
While Fayemi polled 12,342 votes in Ido Osi Local Government Area, Olusola had 11,145.
For Ekiti South West Local Government Area, Fayemi had 11,015 votes to Olusola’s 8,423.
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari, who will depart for the Netherlands today, has urged Fayemi to be magnanimous in victory.
In a message of congratulations to the governor-elect, Buhari described the election as ‘hard-fought’.
In the statement by Femi Adesina, the special adviser on media to the President, Buhari commended the APC governor-elect and all party supporters for the hard-fought victory after a dignified campaign.
Buhari urged Fayemi and APC members to be magnanimous in victory as the incoming administration prepares to unfold a new lease of life for the people of Ekiti State through purposeful and responsible governance.
He commended the people of the State for their matured and peaceful conduct as they made their choice using the power of the ballot.
President Buhari also lauded the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for adequate preparations and displaying impartiality throughout the process.
He applauded the security agencies for creating the right atmosphere for the relatively peaceful conduct of the polls and urges them to sustain the peace.
He also commended local and international observers and monitors for their vigilance and contributions towards the relatively hitch-free exercise.
The President urged the losers to be gallant in conceding defeat and to use constitutional means to settle whatever grievances they may have rather than resort to self-help.
President Buhari appealed to all stakeholders in Ekiti State to work towards a successful transition to a new administration in the higher interest of not only the State but the entire nation and its fledgeling democratic experience.
“In all this, the people of Ekiti State have spoken loud and clear, and democracy has won again,” the President noted.
See the full results:
Ilejemeje LG
APC: 4153
PDP: 3937
Irepodun/Ifelodun LG
APC: 13,869
PDP: 11,456
Oye LG
APC: 14,199
PDP: 11,271
Efon LG
APC: 5,028
PDP: 5,192
Moba LG
APC: 11,837
PDP: 8,520
Ijero LG
APC: 14,192
PDP: 11,077
Gbonyin LG
APC: 11,498
PDP: 8,027.
Emure LG
APC: 7,048
PDP: 7,121.
Ikere LG
APC: 11,515
PDP: 17,183
Ise/Orun LG
APC: 11,908
PDP: 6,297
Ikole LG
APC: 14,522
PDP: 13,961
Ekiti West LG
APC: 12,648
PDP: 10,137
Ekiti East LG
APC: 12,778
PDP: 11, 564
Ado LG
PDP: 32,810
APC: 28,111
Ekiti South West LG
APC: 11,015
PDP: 8,423
Ido Osi LG
APC: 12,342
PDP: 11,145.