Governor Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti on Tuesday received the certificate of return from the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, following his victory in last Saturday’s governorship election.

INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, Dr Bunmi Omoseyindemi, who represented INEC Chairman Prof Joseph Amupitan, presented the certificate to Oyebanji at the commission’s state headquarters in Ado-Ekiti.

The REC congratulated the governor on his re-election and commended the people of the state for conducting themselves peacefully throughout the electoral process.

He said the successful conduct of the election reflected the commitment of INEC and other stakeholders to strengthening democratic governance in the state.

Omoseyindemi urged all political actors to continue to uphold democratic values.

The event was attended by party leaders, government officials, traditional rulers and supporters of the governor.

Following the unresolved internal wrangling within the All Progressive Congress,APC, resulting from the recently concluded primaries in Kebbi State, the Senator representing Kebbi South, Garba Musa Maidoki, has defected from the ruling party to the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

Maidoki who chairs the Senate Committee on Legislative Compliance and serves as the Vice-Chairman of the Senate Committee on Information and National Orientation cited unresolved internal wrangling within the APC following the just concluded primaries as the reason for his action.
Madoki was among the lawmakers screened out of the primaries.

Senator Maidoki stated that his decision followed, “wide consultations with constituents” in a letter addressed to the Senate President and read during Tuesday’s plenary.

He explained that his action was triggered by protracted problems arising from the APC primaries

The Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau, who presided over the plenary, urged the lawmaker to step down his defection to allow room for reconciliation as the APC in Kebbi does not have a fundamental crisis and that Maidoki’s grievances could be resolved internally.

Barau said, “I wish to intervene and plead with the distinguished senator to rescind his decision. There is no internal problem in the APC in Kebbi State. This is more of a family dispute and we can reconcile. I move that this defection be stepped down for reconciliation.”

Maidoki rejected the intervention, saying that he had already made up his mind as his exit adds to a string of defections from the APC to the ADC in recent months, with discontent over party primaries and internal disputes pushing some lawmakers toward the opposition.

The ADC has increasingly positioned itself as an alternative for politicians aggrieved by the ruling party’s internal processes ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Maidoki’s defection is likely to deepen those divisions and significantly alter the political calculation in Kebbi South.