Ekiti Election Is A Referendum On Tinubu, Says Governor Uba Sani

The ongoing Ekiti State governorship election serves as a direct gauge of public satisfaction with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the current state administration, according to the All Progressives Congress campaign chief.

Chairman of the Ekiti All Progressives Congress (APC) Campaign Organisation and Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, says the outcome of Saturday’s governorship election will be a referendum on President Bola Tinubu’s performance and popularity in the state.

Mr Sani, who stated this during a tour of some polling units in the state, also berated opposition parties that contested against the APC’s Biodun Oyebanji in the election.

The campaign leader, accompanied by APC National Secretary Ajibola Basiru, dismissed rival political factions by stating their influence is confined to digital spaces rather than grassroots communities.

“This election will be a referendum on the works of President Tinubu and the performance of the Oyebanji government in Ekiti state,” he said.

Mr Sani’s statement came amid ongoing collation and transmission of results by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on its Result Viewing Portal (IReV).

The campaign team monitored these incoming statistics from their dedicated operations room using an artificial intelligence-powered platform to cross-verify field metrics.

The Peoples Gazette reported that the commission had uploaded results from 2,086 of 2,445 polling units on its Result Viewing Portal (IReV) as of 7:23 p.m. on Saturday.

The upload, representing an 85.32% completion rate in the governorship election, covered local governments, including Irepodun/Ifelodun LGA, Ilejemeje, Moja, Ikere, Ido/OSL, Ekiti West, Emure, Oye, Efon, and Gbonyin.

Other participating territories actively transmitting data included Ise/Orun, Ikole, Ekiti South West, Ado Ekiti, Ijero, and Ekiti East.

INEC is expected to announce the winner of the election as soon as collation and transmission are finalised.

The early returns showed significant margins for the incumbent administration, particularly in strategic strongholds where voting proceeded peacefully despite isolated reports of attempted financial inducement by minor actors.

The APC deputy governorship candidate, Fumilayo Afuye, earlier expressed confidence that Mr Oyebanji would emerge victorious and be re-elected for another term.

“Governor Oyebanji has served Ekiti with every fibre in his body and is widely adjudged to have performed excellently well. He is not only winning this election, but it is going to be with a wide margin,” Ms Afuye stated.

The broad margins were exemplified at Ward 11, Polling Unit 9 (Ogilolo) in Isan-Ekiti, located within the Oye Local Government Area, which serves as the home base of former Governor Kayode Fayemi.

Official tallies at Fayemi’s unit confirmed that the APC candidate garnered 158 votes, while the African Democratic Congress managed only 2 votes, leaving the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Dr. Wole Oluyede, with zero ballots.

Historical Context

The 2026 Ekiti governorship election marks a crucial testing ground for the ruling APC’s regional consolidation ahead of future national cycles. Historically, Ekiti politics has exhibited a volatile pendulum swing between major factions, making an incumbent re-election bid a significant metric of regional stability. This cycle represents the first major localized electoral test for President Tinubu’s federal economic policies within the South-West geopolitical zone since assuming office.

FAQs

What did Governor Uba Sani say about the Ekiti election?

Governor Uba Sani stated that the governorship election serves as a direct referendum on the performance of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the administration of Governor Biodun Oyebanji.

What percentage of results had been uploaded by Saturday evening?

The Independent National Electoral Commission had successfully transmitted 85.32% of the polling unit results to its public portal by 7:23 p.m. on election day.

How many votes did the APC secure at former Governor Kayode Fayemi’s polling unit?

The APC candidate, Governor Biodun Oyebanji, secured 158 votes at the Ogilolo polling unit in Isan-Ekiti, while opposition parties failed to secure significant traction.

What technology did the APC use to monitor the election results?

The political party utilized an artificial intelligence-powered system inside its central situation room to track incoming data and cross-reference figures with official field reports.