Segun Oni, candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the just concluded Ekiti governorship election, says he’s studying the outcome of the Saturday exercise.  

Mr Oni scored 82,211 at the poll and lost to Biodun Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who was declared winner of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) after polling 187,057 votes.

The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bisi Kolawole, came third in the exercise with 67,457 votes, and has since congratulated Mr Oyebanji.

Speaking on the election, Jackson Adebayo, a spokesperson for Mr Oni, told Peoples Gazette that the SDP candidate would consult leaders of the party for a review of the exercise, considered as peaceful but also marred by vote buying.

“Yes, the election is over but we cannot just rush to a conclusion. I know we are going to meet on the outcome for a review. And he (Oni) would also meet the elders and leaders of the party to study the outcome of the exercise before we know the next line of action. 

“So, I urge you to expect our official reactions and position on the exercise soon,” he said. 

Mr Oni had on Saturday voted at his polling unit 006, ward 04, at Oriolede street in Ilogbe area of Ifaki in Ido/Osi Local Council Area of Ekiti state. 

Contested by candidates of 16 political parties, the election witnessed incidents of widespread “voter inducements,” with fingers pointing at party agents of the top three contenders in the governorship race; notably the APC, PDP, and SDP. 

The Gazette learned that party leaders and agents were “empowered” a day to the election, and instructed to induce voters away from the prying eyes of security agents and election observers. 

In areas like Iyin, Efon, and Ifaki, the leaders of the parties tried to outsmart each other with cash ranging from N10,000, N5,000, and N3,000. An allegation corroborated by Kemi Elebute-Halle, a female governorship candidate of the Action Democratic Party.