Ondo South bye-election: Faduyile declared winner by INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Prof. Dayo Faduyile of the All Progressives Congress (APC) winner of the Ondo South Senatorial District bye-election held on Saturday.

Faduyile, a former National President of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and Special Adviser on Health Matters to Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, secured 68,474 votes to emerge victorious.

Announcing the result at the collation centre in Okitipupa on Sunday, the Returning Officer and Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University Lokoja, Prof. Gbenga Solomon-Ibileye, said Faduyile defeated Adeolu Akinwunmi of the Allied People’s Movement (APM), who polled 1,411 votes. Adesanya Olaoluwa of the Action People’s Party (APP) garnered 213 votes, while Clement Funso-Nejo of the Boot Party (BP) received 70 votes.

According to Solomon-Ibileye, a total of 70,770 votes were cast in the election, with 602 ballots declared invalid.

The bye-election was conducted across six local government areas Okitipupa, Ilaje, Ese-Odo, Irele, Odigbo and Ile-Oluji/Oke-Igbo to fill the vacant seat left by Senator Jimoh Ibrahim following his appointment as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations.

Speaking after the exercise, INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in Ondo State, Dr Mutiu Agboke, described the poll as a useful test ahead of the 2027 general elections.

He said, “The bye-election served as a testing ground for 2027,” noting that lessons from minor challenges encountered during the exercise would help the commission improve future elections.

Agboke also disclosed that all personnel deployed to difficult riverine communities returned safely, adding that no major security incidents were recorded during the poll.

The outcome further strengthened the APC’s dominance in Ondo South, with the party securing an overwhelming victory across the senatorial district.