AAC rejects Ekiti governorship result, alleges widespread vote‑buying, intimidation
African Action Congress (AAC)
Abdullateef Fowewe
The African Action Congress (AAC) has rejected the declared outcome of the Ekiti State governorship election, alleging widespread vote‑buying, harassment of its members and other irregularities that it said rendered the poll illegitimate.
Makinde Folorunso, AAC’s Ekiti State Chairman, issued a statement after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced Governor Biodun Oyebanji as the winner.
Folorunso described the exercise as a “mere facade of democracy” and said it failed to meet basic democratic standards.
“We signed the pre‑election peace accord in good faith,” Folorunso said, “but accepting this result in the face of systematic vote‑buying and intimidation would be to abandon that commitment.”
He accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and elements within the state government of manipulating the process to favour the incumbent.
Folorunso alleged that monetary inducements were offered to voters at multiple polling units and that AAC agents and supporters were harassed, creating an uneven playing field that discouraged genuine political participation.
He demanded an immediate, transparent investigation into the reported malpractices and urged relevant authorities to ensure accountability.
INEC’s Chief Returning Officer, Professor Adenike Oladiji, had earlier declared Governor Oyebanji duly elected after he polled 319,224 votes.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Dr Wole Oluyede, was reported to have scored 40,543 votes, while the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Dare Bejide, polled 12,872 votes.
Prof Oladiji said Oyebanji satisfied constitutional requirements and won the highest number of valid votes cast.
The declaration caps a day of voting that, according to the AAC, was marred by alleged irregularities now likely to prompt scrutiny from opposition parties and civil society groups.
The AAC said it will pursue available legal and administrative avenues to challenge the result if investigations do not address its concerns.
