APC’s Dayo Faduyile wins Ondo South Senatorial by-election

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced Dayo Faduyile from the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the Ondo South Senatorial District by-election held on Saturday.

INEC's Returning Officer, Gbenga Solomon-Ibileye, who is also a Professor and Vice Chancellor at Federal University, Lokoja, shared the results on Sunday at the collation center in Okitipupa, located in Okitipupa Local Government Area of Ondo State.

Mr Solomon-Ibileye declared Mr Faduyile the winner after he received the highest number of votes, totaling 68,474.

He noted that Adeolu Akinwunmi from the Allied People’s Movement (APM) came in second with 1,411 votes. Adesanya Olaoluwa from Action People’s Party (APP) and Clement Funso-Nejo from Boot Party (BP) received 213 and 70 votes respectively.

The Returning Officer reported that the total votes cast in the election were 70,770, with 602 votes rejected.

Mutiu Agboke, the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Ondo State, mentioned that this by-election served as a test for the upcoming 2027 general election.

Mr Agboke pointed out that the few challenges noticed would help the commission in preparing for future elections.

“The results of the election reflected the people’s voice, and thank God that all INEC staff who went to the riverine came back safely and no negative report anywhere,” he said.

The election took place across six local government areas: Okitipupa, Ilaje, Ese-Odo, Irele, Odigbo, and Ile-Oluji/Oke-Igbo.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), this by-election was held after Sen. Jimoh Ibrahim was appointed as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations.