More than one million registered voters are heading to polling units across Ekiti State today as the 2026 governorship election gets underway, with 14 political parties contesting for the state’s top office.
According to Channels Television, the election is being conducted across all 16 local government areas, with voters expected to determine whether incumbent Governor Biodun Oyebanji secures a second four-year term or a new administration takes over.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said 1,059,360 registered voters are eligible to participate in the exercise. Voting is scheduled to begin at 8:30am across 2,445 polling units located in 177 wards.
Oyebanji, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, is seeking re-election alongside his deputy, Monisade Afuye. He won the 2022 governorship election with 187,057 votes, defeating candidates from the Social Democratic Party and the Peoples Democratic Party.
Among the leading challengers is Dare Bejide of the African Democratic Congress. A former Secretary to the State Government and former Nigerian ambassador to Canada, Bejide is positioning himself as an alternative to both the APC and PDP.
The Peoples Democratic Party is represented by Wole Oluyede, who is seeking to revive the party’s fortunes in the state after years of declining electoral success.
Other candidates on the ballot include representatives of the African Action Congress, Accord, Action Democratic Party, Allied Peoples Party, Labour Party, New Nigeria Peoples Party, Peoples Redemption Party, Young Progressives Party and Zenith Labour Party.
Ahead of the poll, INEC confirmed the distribution of both sensitive and non-sensitive election materials from designated centres to polling units across the state. The commission also assured voters of the readiness of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) for accreditation and voting.
Authorities have imposed a restriction on vehicular movement across Ekiti State from midnight until 6:00pm on election day to support the smooth conduct of the election.
Security agencies have deployed personnel and operational assets across the state, particularly in border communities and strategic locations, to maintain order and prevent disruptions during the voting process.
Civil society organisations monitoring the election have urged residents to participate peacefully and protect the integrity of the democratic process.
In addition to the governorship contest, four senatorial by-elections in Enugu, Rivers, Ondo and Nasarawa states, as well as House of Representatives and State Assembly by-elections in Kano and Kebbi states, are also taking place today.
