The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Prof. Dayo Faduyile of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the Ondo South Senatorial District by-election conducted on Saturday.
INEC Returning Officer, Prof Gbenga Solomon-Ibileye, Vice Chancellor, Federal University, Lokoja, announced the results on Sunday at the collation centre in Okitipupa, Okitipupa Local Government Area of Ondo State.
Solomon-Ibileye announced Faduyile as the winner of the election having polled the highest votes of 68, 474.
He said Adeolu Akinwunmi of the Allied People’s Movement (APM) came second with 1,411 votes while Adesanya Olaoluwa of Action People’s Party (APP) and Clement Funso-Nejo of Boot Party (BP) scored 213 and 70 votes respectively.
The Returning Officer said that the total votes cast were 70,770 while 602 votes were rejected.
Speaking, Mr Mutiu Agboke, the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Ondo State, said that the by-election was a testing ground for the 2027 general election.
Agboke said that the little hiccups noticed would help the commission to prepare for the forthcoming 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 was held in six local government areas of Okitipupa, Ilaje, Ese-Odo, Irele, Odigbo and Ile-Oluji/Oke-Igbo.
The by-election was conducted following the appointment of Sen. Jimoh Ibrahim as the Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations.