Ekiti guber poll: APC takes over South West as INEC declares Fayemi winner

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is now in solid control of the South West geo-political zone of the country as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Sunday declared the APC governorship candidate and former Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi, as the winner of Saturday’s governorship election in Ekiti State.

Prior to the epic governorship tussle on Saturday, the APC controls five states in the zone while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is at the helm of affairs of only one state with the outgoing Governor Ayo Fayose as the chief executive of the state.

But the other five states in the South West – Lagos, Oyo, Ogun, Osun and Ondo are under the firm control of the APC with the following State Governors: Akinwunmi Ambode (Lagos), Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo), Rauf Aregbesola (Osun) and Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo).

Declaring Fayemi as the winner of the election at the INEC headquarters in Ado-Ekiti, the Chief Returning Officer for the Ekiti State governorship election and Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Prof Idowu Olayinka, declared that Fayemi polled 197,459 votes to defeat the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Prof. Kolapo Olusola Eleka, who came second with 178,121 votes.

But the PDP has rejected the results, claiming that the election was marred by irregularities and attacks of its members and supporters.

The PDP’s agent at the collation centre, Mr Sunday Olowolafe, also urged INEC to stay action on the declaration of a winner until a re-run was conducted on the grounds that there were established cases of violence, vote-buying and ballot-snatching.

Other results declared by Olayinka were Accord, 250; Action Alliance, 41; ACD, 1149; AD, 216; ADB, 1082; ADA, 107; AGAO, 31; ANRP, 125; APA, 1199; and APDA, 464.

Also declared were APGA, 70; ANPP, 14; DA, 14; DPC, 147; DPP,181; FJP, 42; GPN, 20; I.D, 31;, KOWA, 23; LP, 280; MMN, 35; MPN, 23; NDLP, 44; NPC, 353 PANDEL, 74; and PGC, 1242.

The rest are DPA, 632; PPN, 107; SDO, 367; UDP, 29; UPN, 33; YDP, 31 and YPP, 49.

Olayinka further declared that the total valid votes in the election was 384,594 while total votes cast was 403,451, with 18,857 votes invalidated.

Fayemi, who won in 12 out of the 16 local government areas of the state, will take over from outgoing Governor Fayose on October 16, 2018.

According to INEC results, Fayemi won in Irepodun/Ifelodun, Oye, Ido/Osi, Ikole, Moba, Ise/Orun, Ilejemeje, Ekiti West local government, Ijero, Gbonyin, Ekiti South West and Ekiti East.

But the candidate of the PDP, Prof Kolapo Olusola Eleka won in the four local governments areas of Ado, Ikere, Emure and Efon.
A breakdown of the result shows Ileje-Meje (APC 4,153, PDP 3930), Irepodun/lfelodun (APC 13,869, PDP:11456), ldo-Osi (APC 12,342, PDP 11,145 and Oye (APC 14, 995, PDP 11,271).

Also released were Efon (APC 5,028, PDP 5,192), Moba (APC 11,837, PDP:8,520) Ijero (APC 14,192, PDP 11,077) , Gboyin ( APC 11,498, PDP 8,027) Emure (APC 7,048 PDP, 7,121 and Ikere (APC 11,515, PDP 17,183).

Others are Ekiti/West(APC 12,648, PDP 10,137) Ikole (APC 14,522, PDP:13,961) Ise Orun (APC 11,908, PDP 6,297), Ekiti /East (APC:12,778, PDP 11,544) Ekiti South West (APC 11,015, PDP:8,423) and Ado (APC:28,111, PDP 32,810).

I will restore Ekiti values, says Fayemi
Meanwhile, Fayemi has described his victory in Saturday’s governorship election as one “ for reclaiming the land and restoring Ekiti values.”

Fayemi spoke on Sunday while addressing journalists in Isan-Ekiti shortly after he was declared the winner of the governorship election.

He said: ” The victory of this election, I believe, is for reclaiming the land and restoring the values of our people.

“Our values in Ekiti are respect for our leaders, commitment to our people, non brigandage, nor criminality and so on.

” This victory is a victory for all, it is not a victory for only Gov. Kayode Fayemi, it is a victory for all the Ekiti people.’’
Fayemi also described his victory as significant to the future of democracy in Nigeria.

“This was just not an Ekiti election, I want people to understand that this election has a lot of significance to the future of democracy in Nigeria.

” The fact that we have witnessed a free, fair and transparent election process has huge importance for similar exercises like Osun State next door to us and eventually the national elections in February 2019,” he said.

Fayemi also thanked all the APC leaders, including President Muhammadu Buhari, National Leader of the APC, Sen. Bola Tinubu, former governor of Ogun, Chief Segun Osoba, former interim Chairman of the party, Chief Bisi Akande, as well as party leaders in the state.

The governor-elect also thanked his family members, especially his wife, Bisi, for their support during the election campaign