Ekiti 2026: Dare Bejide floors Eleka, Fayose to win ADC ticket

By Ayorinde Oluokun/Abuja

The African Democratic Congress, ADC said Nigeria’s former Ambassador to Canada, Dare Bejide has defeated four other candidates to emerge as its candidate for the 2026 Ekiti governorship election.

Gboyega Aribisogan, Ekiti ADC Publicity Secretary in a statement on Friday indicated that Amb. Bejide garnered 15,466 votes to emerge the governorship candidate of the party.

He defeated former Deputy Governor of Ekiti state Prof. Olusola Eleka who came second with 12,003 votes.

The other three contestants for the governorship ticket are Barr Femi Adegbite who scored 9,141 votes, Otunba Emmanuel Fayose who scored 2,865 votes and Apostle Ayodele Adesua who scored 135 votes.

Aribisogan said the result of the primary was announced by the Chairman of the ADC Primary Election Committee, Senator Patricia Naomi Akwashiki in the presence of officials of INEC, Security Agencies and the media this morning on Friday morning.

He added that the Committee rejected results from Ilejemeje and Oye Local Government and cancelled that of Emure local government over observed irregularities. because of irregularity.

Aribisogan quoted Akwashiki as describing the primary election as very peaceful.

She also commended the party members who came out in large numbers to participate in the election in all the 16 local governments across the state.

He however, condemned the activities of party members who came to disrupt the exercise at the collation centre and called for restraints.

She thanked the aspirants for their commitment to the party .

Akwashiki urged those who may have any complaints about the exercise to take such complaints to the Appeal Committee that has been set up for that purpose.

She also thanked the Independent Electoral Commission, the security agencies and the media for their cooperation during the exercise.

The party in its response thanked the State Primary Election Committee, the INEC, Media and all the security agencies for the job done and promised to cooperate with the party stakeholders to resolve all disputes that may arise from the exercise.

Recall that a gang of thugs had disrupted activities at the coalition centre for the primary in Ado Ekiti on Thursday.

The thugs who were allegedly acting on behalf of one of the aspirants overpowered security agents and gained access to the centre through windows after which they destroyed furniture and some documents.

Eleka had subsequently alleged that the primary election results in some local governments were doctored

He also called for the cancellation of the governorship primary.