The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has uploaded results from 2,048 of the 2,445 polling units in the ongoing Ekiti State governorship election, representing 83.7 per cent of the total polling units across the state.
Data from INEC’s Result Viewing Portal (IReV) as of 6:41 p.m. on Saturday showed a sharp increase in the number of uploaded results, rising from 35.5 per cent recorded at 6:12 p.m. earlier in the evening.
The steady transmission of results comes as collation progresses across the 16 local government areas of the state following the conclusion of voting.
A total of 14 candidates are participating in the off-cycle governorship election, with the incumbent governor and candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Biodun Oyebanji, seeking re-election ahead of the expiration of his first term in October.
Other major contenders in the race include the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Dr Oluwole Oluyede; the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Dare Bejide; Labour Party (LP) candidate, Oyebanji Olajuyin; and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) flagbearer, Blessing Abegunde.
Also contesting are Samuel Akande of the African Action Congress (AAC), Ayodeji Ojo of the Action Democratic Party (ADP), Opeyemi Felegan of the Accord Party, Joseph Anifowose of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Bidemi Awogbemi of the Action Peoples Party (APP), Olaniyi Ayodele of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), and Victor Adetunji of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), among others.
INEC continues to upload results from outstanding polling units to the IReV portal while collation officers compile and verify results at designated centres across the state.
The governorship election is expected to determine who will lead Ekiti State for the next four years, with final results to be announced upon the completion of the collation process.
