Prof. Dayo Faduyile of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was proclaimed the victor of Saturday’s Ondo South Senatorial District by-election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The results were announced on Sunday at the collation center in Okitipupa, Okitipupa Local Government Area, Ondo State, by INEC Returning Officer Prof. Gbenga Solomon-Ibileye, Vice Chancellor, Federal University, Lokoja.
Faduyile received the most votes (68,474), and Solomon-Ibileye declared him the winner of the election.
According to him, Adesanya Olaoluwa of the Action People’s Party (APP) and Clement Funso-Nejo of the Boot Party (BP) received 213 and 70 votes, respectively, while Adeolu Akinwunmi of the Allied People’s Movement (APM) came in second with 1,411 votes.
According to the Returning Officer, 70,770 ballots were cast overall, of which 602 were rejected.
The INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Ondo State, Mr. Mutiu Agboke, stated that the by-election served as a trial run for the general election in 2027.
According to Agboke, the minor issues found will aid the commission in getting ready for the upcoming elections.
“Thank God that all INEC employees who travelled to the riverine returned safely and there were no unfavourable reports anywhere,” he added, adding that the election results represented the voice of the people.
Six local government areas—Okitipupa, Ilaje, Ese-Odo, Irele, Odigbo, and Ile-Oluji/Oke-Igbo—were polled.
After Sen. Jimoh Ibrahim was appointed as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the UN, a senate by-election was held in Ondo South.