APC’s Faduyile Wins Ondo South Senatorial By-Election

The candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Dayo Faduyile, has emerged winner of the Ondo South Senatorial District by-election conducted on Saturday.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Faduyile winner on Sunday at the collation centre in Okitipupa Local Government Area of Ondo State.

Announcing the result, the Returning Officer, Prof. Gbenga Solomon-Ibileye, Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University Lokoja, said Faduyile secured 68,474 votes to defeat other contenders in the race.

According to the results, Adeolu Akinwunmi of the Allied People’s Movement (APM) came second with 1,411 votes, while Adesanya Olaoluwa of the Action Peoples Party (APP) polled 213 votes. Clement Funso-Nejo of the Boot Party garnered 70 votes.

Solomon-Ibileye disclosed that a total of 70,770 valid votes were cast in the election, while 602 ballots were rejected.

The by-election was held across the six local government areas that make up the senatorial district, namely Okitipupa, Ilaje, Ese-Odo, Irele, Odigbo, and Ile-Oluji/Oke-Igbo.

Speaking on the conduct of the poll, the Ondo State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mutiu Agboke, described the exercise as a valuable learning process for the commission ahead of the 2027 general elections.

He noted that lessons from the election would help improve future electoral exercises, stressing INEC’s commitment to delivering credible polls.

“The results reflected the will of the people. We are also grateful that all INEC personnel deployed to the riverine areas returned safely, and there were no reports of major incidents,” Agboke said.

The senatorial seat became vacant following the appointment of former senator Jimoh Ibrahim as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, necessitating the conduct of the by-election.

With the victory, Faduyile will represent Ondo South Senatorial District in the Senate for the remainder of the current legislative term.