#EkitiDecides2026: Accord Party candidate, Opeyemi Falegan, heads to tribunal to challenge Oyebanji’s victory

The Accord Party's candidate in the Ekiti State governorship election, Opeyemi Falegan, has instructed his legal team to file a petition with the Election Petition Tribunal. He aims to challenge the victory declared for Governor Biodun Oyebanji in the June 20 election.

Falegan, a businessman and philanthropist, stated that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will also be named as a respondent due to its conduct during the election. He alleged that the election was compromised by widespread vote-buying, issues with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), and intimidation tactics against voters.

"We will meet in court. The evidence is overwhelming," Falegan declared in a statement. "From vote buying in broad daylight, to BVAS malfunction, to the militarisation of polling units and intimidation of voters, Ekiti people were denied their right to choose freely."

His legal team is reportedly compiling documentary evidence, including official forms that allegedly show discrepancies between votes cast and the announced figures. Video and photographic evidence of vote-buying, along with claims of the Accord Party logo being omitted from ballot papers, are also part of the planned submission. Furthermore, the petition is expected to include BVAS error logs, reports on manual accreditation and device failures, witness statements, and affidavits from polling unit supervisors alleging vote exclusion.

INEC Chief Returning Officer Adenike Oladiji had declared Governor Oyebanji the winner, stating he secured 319,224 votes. His closest rival, Wole Oluyede of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), received 40,543 votes. The African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Oluwadare Bejide, came third with 12,872 votes and has also rejected the results, citing irregularities. Falegan himself finished fifth with 564 votes.

Election observer groups, including Yiaga Africa, the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), and the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), have reported similar issues, including vote-buying and malfunctioning accreditation devices. These findings align with reports from PREMIUM TIMES, which documented allegations of vote-buying and procedural complaints.

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We will meet in court. The evidence is overwhelming. From vote buying in broad daylight, to BVAS malfunction, to the militarisation of polling units and intimidation of voters, Ekiti people were denied their right to choose freely.