Ekiti State Votes For Governor Tomorrow

In line with INEC guidelines, campaigns have ended for the governorship election in Ekiti State which takes place tomorrow Saturday 18^th June 2022.

16 political parties are fielding candidates in the election which, like previous contests, promises to be closely contested.

Incumbent Governor Kayode Fayemi is lame duck and his party, the APC, is fielding Mr. Biodun Oyebanji.

For the records, no governor has served consecutive terms in Ekiti State since its inception so even if Fayemi were qualified to contest, he would have needed to break that jinx. But he is not, having first served as governor between 2010 and 2014 before losing re-election to Peter Ayodele Fayose.

Governor Fayemi, who is currently Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum has been in office, his second term, since 16^th October 2018. Fayose served in office as Governor of Ekiti State from 2014 to 2018, but also had an earlier term from 2003 to 2006.

In the same vein, Segun Oni was Governor of Ekiti State between May 29, 2007 and October 14, 2010 under the PDP and his term was not renewed but he is contesting tomorrow’s poll as flag bearer of the Social Democratic Party, SDP.

There are two female candidates – Christiana Olatawura of the Action Peoples Party (APP) and Kemi Elebute-Halle of the Action Democratic Party (ADP).

In the past weeks, the political parties and their candidates have unfolded strategies and embarked on campaigns and rallies to solicit the support of the electorate.

According to the Independent National Electoral Commission, four National Commissioners and eight Resident Electoral Commissioners have been deployed to Ekiti to ensure the conduct of a credible election.

749,065 voters representing 76%, have collected their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and there are 177 wards and 22,244 polling units.

The full list of candidates are:

1. Biodun Oyebanji – All Progressives Congress (APC)
2. Reuben Famuyibo – Accord
3. Wole Oluyede – African Democratic Congress (ADC)
4. Debo Ajayi – Young Progressives Party (YPP)
5. Kemi Elebute-Halle: Action Democratic Party (ADP)
6. Moses Olajide: African Action Congress (AAC)
7. Olufemi Obidoyin: All Progressives Congress (APGA)
8. Peter Adegbenro: Allied Peoples Movement (APM)
9. Segun Oni: Social Democratic Party (SDP)
10. Bisi Kolawole: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
11. Modupe Olatawura: All People’s Party (APP)
12. Daramola Roland: Labour Party (LP)
13. Oladosu Fatomilola: New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP)
14. Tope Iyaniwura: National Rescue Movement (NRM)
15. Olaniyi Agboola: People’s Redemption Party (PRP)
16. Kolade Akinyemi: Zenith Labour Party (ZLP)

May the best candidate win.