The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Professor Dayo Faduyile of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the Ondo South Senatorial District by-election conducted on Saturday.
The result was announced on Sunday at the collation centre in Okitipupa Local Government Area by the Returning Officer, Professor Gbenga Solomon-Ibileye, Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Lokoja.
Announcing the final outcome, Solomon-Ibileye stated that Faduyile secured victory after polling 68,474 votes, emerging with the highest number of valid votes cast in the election.
According to the official results, Adeolu Akinwunmi of the Allied People’s Movement (APM) finished second with 1,411 votes.
Other candidates in the race recorded lower figures, with Adesanya Olaoluwa of the Action People’s Party (APP) polling 213 votes, while Clement Funso-Nejo of the Boot Party (BP) secured 70 votes.
INEC also disclosed that a total of 70,770 votes were cast during the exercise, while 602 ballots were rejected as invalid.
Speaking after the declaration, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Ondo State, Mutiu Agboke, described the by-election as an important test run ahead of preparations for the 2027 general elections.
Agboke noted that although a few operational challenges were encountered during the exercise, the commission would review them to improve future election management.
He expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the election, stating that the outcome reflected the will of the electorate and commended election personnel for completing the process safely, including officials deployed to difficult riverine areas.
The by-election was held across the six local government areas that make up the Ondo South Senatorial District, which includes Okitipupa, Ilaje, Ese-Odo, Irele, Odigbo, and Ile-Oluji/Oke-Igbo.
The election became necessary following the vacancy created after the appointment of former senator Jimoh Ibrahim as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations.