The Ekiti governorship election has taken a dramatic turn as the African Democratic Congress candidate, Dare Bejide, outrightly rejected the result, describing Saturday’s poll as neither free nor fair.
Bejide claimed the exercise was marred by irregularities, including violence in many polling units, and said the atmosphere was akin to a war zone in some areas.
He urged his supporters to remain calm while exploring legal options. Meanwhile, Governor Biodun Oyebanji, who was declared winner with a comfortable margin, delivered a victory speech on Sunday, thanking Ekiti people for their confidence and extending a hand of fellowship to Bejide and other contestants.
Oyebanji, running under the All Progressives Congress, defeated 13 candidates. The APC has hailed his re-election as proof of the people’s trust.
The opposition’s rejection, however, raises fresh questions about the credibility of the process, which INEC insists was transparent.
