The US also says the Ekiti poll was also largely peaceful with security personnel doing that beat to achieve that.
The United States (US) has commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), saying the outcome was credible.
The US statement on the Ekiti election was issued by its Public Affairs Section in Lagos. The statement noted that the Bi-modal Verification Accreditation System (BVAS) functioned properly in the vast majority of polling stations.
The US says the Ekiti was also largely peaceful with security personnel doing that beat to achieve that.
The statement reads: “The United States Mission to Nigeria congratulates the citizens of Ekiti State on the largely peaceful conduct of the gubernatorial election on June 18. We commend the concerted efforts of INEC staff and security personnel which helped facilitate a secure election with a credible outcome. We note the election’s technical improvements including that the newly adopted bi-modal verification accreditation system (BVAS) functioned properly in the vast majority of polling stations. We encourage all citizens to register to vote as the country moves towards national elections.”
Recall that the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Biodun Oyebanji, was declared the winner of the election by the returning officer, Prof. Oyebode Adebowale.
Oyebanji of the APC scored a total of 187,057 votes to defeat his two closest challengers, Social Democratic Party (SDP) Segun Oni, and Bisi Kolawole of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in what was a landslide victory.
The SDP surprisingly beat the main opposition party, PDP to finish in second place in the polls after garnering a total of 82,211 votes, while the PDP came third with 67,457 votes.
With this victory, the ruling All Progressives Congress retained power in the state with Oyebanji replacing incumbent Kayode Fayemi in October.
INEC accredited a total of 363,438 voters for the consequential Guber election.