Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji, who has been re-elected for another four-year term, says his victory validates the confidence reposed in his leadership and the President Bola Tinubu’s administration by residents of the state.

The governor was re-elected on Saturday after securing a total of 319,224 votes.

Mr Oyebanji, while addressing members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and supporters in Ado-Ekiti on Sunday, said Mr Tinubu provided the resources that enabled his administration to deliver on its promises to residents of the state.

He said, “As far as I am concerned, what happened yesterday is a validation of our performance by the Ekiti people. But not only in Ekiti state. It is a vote of confidence in the president, because whatever we have done in the last four years in Ekiti State, after God, Mr President take the glory.

“He provided the resources for us to work. There is no way I would have done all those things that endeared the people to our party.”

He described his re-election as “the dawn of a new era, peace and harmony,” adding that “the best has just begun.”

The governor said his administration would work towards implementing policies and programmes designed to improve the quality of life of Ekiti residents.

“We will rededicate ourselves even more strongly to implementing a sharp prosperity agenda. We will speed up various projects and programmes that are ongoing. We will work hard and serve you better,” Mr Oyebanji said.

He said the 2026 election in the state was unique, citing unity among former governors in rallying support for his party and candidacy, and noting that the electoral process was also free from violence.

“In the history of this state, this is the first time that all former governors will align behind a political party, behind a candidate. It has never happened. This is the first time we will run an election campaign for more than three months, and no single incident of violence,” Mr Oyebanji said.

The governor criticised opposition members in the state for what he described as a smear campaign against his administration.

He added that his opponents in the election had no track record and that elections are not won on social media.

He said, “There is a saying that a farmer who has diligently tilled the ground does not need to fear the day of harvest. Characters that have not done anything are busy on social media. There are no polling units on social media.

“Yesterday, I told Seun that I will not appear on your program. I will be here today and would have spoken, and that is my answer to all these shenanigans on social media.”

“If you have done well, people will vote for you. But if you don’t have anything to say than to go to media houses to grant interviews, telling lies against the government, staying on social media, whipping up sentiments. Yesterday was their day of reckoning.”

Mr Oyebanji said he did not expect members of the opposition party to accept the final result, adding that his opponents “must give a reason to their sponsors why they have lost.”