APC Candidate Wins Ondo South Senatorial By-election

Dayo Faduyile, representing the All Progressives Congress (APC), has been declared the winner of the Ondo South Senatorial District by-election held on Saturday. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced the results Sunday, confirming Faduyile's victory after he garnered a substantial 68,474 votes.

The election, conducted across six local government areas, saw Adeolu Akinwunmi of the Allied People’s Movement (APM) finish second with 1,411 votes. Other candidates, including Adesanya Olaoluwa of the Action People’s Party (APP) and Clement Funso-Nejo of the Boot Party (BP), received significantly fewer votes.

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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.

INEC Returning Officer Gbenga Solomon-Ibileye, who is also the Vice Chancellor of Federal University, Lokoja, declared Faduyile the winner at the collation center in Okitipupa. The total votes cast were 70,770, with 602 votes rejected. Mutiu Agboke, the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in Ondo State, viewed the by-election as a vital testing ground for the commission's preparations for the 2027 general elections, noting that observed "minor hiccups" would inform future improvements.

The by-election was necessitated by the appointment of Senator Jimoh Ibrahim as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations. INEC officials reported that the election proceeded smoothly, with all staff returning safely from polling units, including those in riverine areas. Agboke emphasized that the results accurately reflected the people's will.

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The by-election was a testing ground for the 2027 general election.