The hopes of Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State handing over the mantle of leadership to his deputy, Professor Kolapo Olusola Eleka have been dashed.
Eleka lost the election to former Minister of Solid Minerals, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who got 197,459 votes. Eleka scored 178,121 votes.
403,451 votes was cast with 384,594 valid votes while 18,857 votes were rejected.
*Official results as released by INEC on Ekiti Gubernatorial Election held on Saturday, 14th July, 2018.*
Irepodun/Ifelodun LG
APC – 13, 869
PDP – 11, 456
Iléjeméje LG
APC – 4, 153
PDP – 3, 937
Ido/Osi LG
APC – 12, 342
PDP – 11, 145
Oye LG
APC – 14, 995
PDP – 11, 271
Ẹ̀fọ̀n 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
Ekiti West LG
APC – 12,648
PDP – 10,137
Ikole LG
APC – 14,522
PDP – 13,961
Ise/Orun LG
APC – 11,908
PDP – 6,297
Ekiti East LG
APC – 12,778
PDP – 11,564
Ekiti Southwest LG
APC – 11,015
PDP – 8,423
Ado-Ekiti LG
APC – 28,111
PDP – 32,810
*Total Result
APC -197,459
PDP – 178,121*
In a congratulatory message, the All Progressives Congress (APC), through its spokesman, Mallam Bolaji Abdulahi, congratulated Fayemi, noting that he ran an effective and positive campaign focused on his agenda of rebuilding the economy of the state and returning its lost values of integrity, prudence and decency.
The statement added: “The Party commends the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies, local and international observers, as well as other stakeholders, for their admirable role in making the Ekiti gubernatorial election one in which the people’s will has prevailed.
“We thank the Ekiti electorate for voting en masse for our Party’s candidate. This is a demonstration of their trust and confidence in Dr. Kayode Fayemi’s ability to deliver on his campaign promises and a rejection of the crude and pedestrian politics of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“We assure the people of Ekiti, and indeed all Nigerians, that our Party is best placed to move the country forward and resolve the seemingly intractable problems that have held us back.”
President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, also congratulated the Governor-elect.
Saraki, in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, stated that the Governor-elect of Ekiti State should use his second-coming to continue the people-centered policies and programmes of his first term, while urging him to also work to grow the State’s economy in order to leave behind a sustainable legacy.
He said the victory was a sign that the people of Ekiti State still have confidence in the former minister’s ability to provide good governance and render efficient service to the state and its people. He also advised the Governor-elect to maintain his focus on how to bring more development to the State and improve the standard of living of the people.
The Senate President also urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the law enforcement and security agencies, the government and entire electorate to learn some lessons from the Ekiti State gubernatorial election, which has served as a fore-runner to the 2019 General Elections and ensure that all areas of complaints and inadequacies are corrected before a similar election in Osun State and the 2019 general elections.
“To ensure that the Nigeria people have continued trust and faith in our electoral system, we must continue to work to improve our electoral policies and practices. We must look into the issues that have been identified in this last election to ensure that they are not repeated in the upcoming Osun Gubernatorial election, and during the 2019 elections. Definitely, the 2019 elections must be better in all ramifications than the 2015 polls”, he said.
Saraki prayed that God will bless and guide the Governor-elect as he prepares to assume Office, and called for a smooth transition between the outgoing government and the incoming one.