Fayemi wins Ekiti governorship poll

Dr Kayode Fayemi, a former Minister of Mines and Steel Development and candidate of the All Progressives Congress(APC) has won Saturday’s governorship election in Ekiti.

Prof. Idowu Olayinka, the Chief Returning Officer for the election and Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, said Fayemi polled 197,459 votes to emerge winner.

Our correspondent reports that Olayinka made the declaration at the headquarters of Independent National Electoral Commissioner (INEC) in Ado-Ekiti on Sunday.

It was also reported that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, came second with 178,121 votes.

The PDP has, however, rejected the results, saying that the election was marred by irregularities and attacks of its members and supporters.

The party’s agent at the collation centre, Mr Sunday Olowolafe, urged the commission to stay action on the declaration of a winner until a re-run was conducted where 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 said the total valid votes in the election was 384,594 while total votes cast was 403,451, with 18,857 votes invalidated.

Fayemi is expected to take over from the incumbent, Mr Ayo Fayose, on Oct. 16, 2018.