No Ekiti governor since the state was created in 1996 has ever served two consecutive terms; however, the current governor, Biodun Oyebanji, is attempting to be the first in the Ekiti governorship election 2026.
According to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) that governs a Governor’s tenure and limits it to two terms, a Governor is elected for four years and can be re-elected once, making it a maximum of 8 years (two terms).
After serving two terms of four years each, the person is constitutionally barred from contesting again for the office of Governor of that State.
This has occurred several times in some states in Nigeria, where governors have served two terms in office; however, since the creation of Ekiti state, no governor won a second term in office.
There is a possibility of a change in narrative as the Ekiti governorship election 2026 is just a few days away.
The Date, Location, and Concerns About the Ekiti Governorship Election 2026
The Ekiti governorship election 2026 is not in the same period as the general election in 2027. Ekiti’s election timetable was fixed by previous legal rulings and has remained on the June cycle since 2018.
However, it’s the same four-year interval as the general election, but the election date differs. The current governor, Biodun Oyebanji, was elected on June 18, 2022, so his four-year term ends in June 2026. This means that the Ekiti governorship election 2026 is on June 20, 2026.
A total of 1,059,360 registered voters are expected to cast their ballots across 2,445 polling units in 177 wards spread across Ekiti State’s 16 local government areas. This will be the first election to be anchored by the new Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) chairman in the person of Prof Joash Amupitan.
Who Is Running for Ekiti Governor in 2026
| Party | Candidate | Position / Background | Remarks |
| APC | Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji (BAO) | Incumbent Governor (Current) | Clear Frontrunner – Seeking re-election |
| PDP | Dr. Wole Oluyede | Legal practitioner, PDP candidate | Main opposition challenger |
| ADC | Oluwadare Bejide | Former Chairman, Ekiti State Water Corporation | Strong third force |
| Accord | Opeyemi Falegan | Former aspirant | Active campaigner |
| LP | Oyebanji Olajuyin | Businessman | Labour Party candidate |
| Others | Various (NNPP, PRP, YPP, ZLP, etc.) | Lesser-known candidates | Mostly low visibility |
Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji, who is 58 years is the APC consensus candidate seeking re-election with Monisade Afuye, aged 67, as his deputy.
Beyond the traditional advantage of being the current governor, he has secured the backing of major political blocs across Ekiti, including the structures of former governors and Senate Leader named Opeyemi Bamidele.
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His administration’s relationship with organised labour has strengthened his position with endorsements from labour groups, viewed as a significant boost to his re-election bid.
Biodun Oyebanji is the strongest candidate among the other candidates. His strongest opposition candidate is Dr. Wole Oluyede, a PDP candidate. Oyebanji has expressed confidence that the APC will record a victory in all 177 wards of the state.
The Peace Accord and Why It Matters for Voting Day
All the candidates signed a peace accord to ensure peaceful engagement before, during, and even after the election. The goal of this is to ensure that there is a peaceful election that’s free and fair with full participation of the masses without fear of violence.
Final Thoughts on the Ekiti Governorship Election 2026:
Ekiti Governorship Election 2026 will determine the governor to lead the state for the next four years, even though only one governor has the loudest campaign, whereas since the creation of the state, there has been no governor to serve two terms in the governorship office.
This election will also set the pace of the 2027 general election, as it is going to be the first election to be controlled by the new INEC chairman.
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