Certificate of Return became more than a ceremonial document in Ado-Ekiti on Tuesday as Governor Biodun Oyebanji and his deputy, Chief (Mrs) Monisade Afuye, formally received their certificates from the Independent National Electoral Commission, sealing a record-breaking second mandate that has placed the governor in the history books and raised expectations across Ekiti State.
Ekiti Celebrates Historic Second Mandate for Governor Oyebanji
Governor Oyebanji secured a commanding 319,224 votes in the June 20 governorship election, defeating his closest rivals by a wide margin and becoming the first governor in Ekiti State to obtain two consecutive electoral mandates. The presentation ceremony at the INEC office quickly transformed into a public celebration, with supporters crowding adjoining streets in what many described as a symbolic endorsement of continuity in governance. The governor, accompanied by his wife, Dr Olayemi Oyebanji, thanked the people of the state and pledged to deepen good governance and accelerate sustainable development.
The Mandate, according to the governor, carries responsibilities beyond political victory. He commended INEC, security agencies and electoral officials for conducting what many observers called one of the state’s most peaceful elections. He also praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for signing the amended Electoral Act, arguing that recent electoral reforms have improved transparency and public confidence in Nigeria’s democratic process.
Oyebanji Calls for Unity After Record Election Victory in Ekiti
Additional reports on the election results indicate that Oyebanji’s victory margin was overwhelming, with official figures showing that the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Wole Oluyede, secured 40,543 votes, while the African Democratic Congress candidate, Dare Bejide, received 12,872 votes. Election data also showed more than 375,000 valid votes were cast during the exercise, reinforcing the scale of the governor’s victory and the dominance of the ruling party in the state. Analysts have described the result as one of the strongest governorship performances recorded in recent Ekiti political history.
The election has also revived wider conversations about the state of Nigeria’s democracy. While the process was widely praised for being peaceful and orderly, some observers and political commentators raised concerns over allegations of vote buying, a recurring issue in several Nigerian elections. No official body has invalidated the outcome of the Ekiti poll, and INEC has maintained that the election met constitutional requirements. The commission’s decision to promptly issue the Certificate of Return has therefore been interpreted as a reaffirmation of the credibility of the process and the finality of the people’s Mandate.
As the celebrations gradually fade and the confetti settles on the streets of Ado-Ekiti, the Certificate of Return now becomes a reminder that political victories are easier to celebrate than to sustain. For Governor Oyebanji, the historic Mandate has delivered both a crown and a challenge: proving that overwhelming electoral support can indeed translate into an equally overwhelming record of governance. OGM News Nigeria will continue to monitor developments as the governor prepares for his second term in office
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