The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Dayo Faduyile of the All Progressives Congress (APC) winner of the Ondo South Senatorial District by-election held on Saturday.
Announcing the result on Sunday at the collation centre in Okitipupa Local Government Area, the Returning Officer, Gbenga Solomon-Ibileye, said Faduyile secured 68,474 votes to defeat his closest rivals. Adeolu Akinwunmi of the Allied People’s Movement (APM) polled 1,411 votes to place second, while Adesanya Olaoluwa of the Action Peoples Party (APP) and Clement Funso-Nejo of the Boot Party (BP) garnered 213 and 70 votes respectively.
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Solomon-Ibileye disclosed that a total of 70,770 votes were cast in the election, with 602 rejected ballots recorded. The by-election was conducted across six local government areas—Okitipupa, Ilaje, Ese-Odo, Irele, Odigbo and Ile-Oluji/Oke-Igbo.
Speaking after the announcement, Mutiu Agboke, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Ondo State, described the exercise as a useful test run ahead of the 2027 general elections. He said lessons from the poll would help the commission address identified challenges and improve future electoral processes.
“The results of the election reflected the people’s voice and thank God that all INEC staff who went to the riverine areas came back safely with no negative report anywhere,” Agboke said.
The senatorial seat became vacant following the appointment of former senator, Jimoh Ibrahim, as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations.
