Oyebanji Mocks Critics After Election Victory, Says ‘No Polling Units On Social Media’
By Akanni Toba
Biodun Oyebanji, the governor of Ekiti state, has turned his opponents and critics to butts of ridicule for mistaking social media for polling units adding that the belief reeks of political neophtytism
Oyebanji noted that social media commentaries do not translate into votes or give candidates electoral mileage.
The governor spoke on Sunday after his victory in the Ekiti state governorship election on June 20.
Oyebanji dismissed online criticism of his administration, insisting that electoral success is determined by performance and voter choice, not digital opinion.
“There are no polling units on social media,” the governor said.
“A farmer who has diligently tilled the ground does not interfere on the day of harvest. Some people who have not done anything are busy on social media. They are not polling units on social media.”
He described the Saturday’s exercise as a “day of reckoning” for his adversaries and that of vindication for him.
Oyebanji added that lack of the common touch which often results in disconnect with citizens often makes politicians and their supporters resort to public commentary rather than engagement at the grassroots.
“If you have done well, people will vote for you. But if you don’t have anything to say, other than going to media houses to grant interviews and telling lies against the government, stay on social media whipping up sentiments. Yesterday was their day of reckoning,” he said.
Oyebanji recorded a decisive victory in the election, winning across all 16 local government areas of the state.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared that Oyebanji winner of the exercise in the wee hours of Sunday.
According to the electoral umpire Oyebanji polled 319,224 votes to defeat his closest rival, Wole Oluyede of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who scored 40,543 votes. Dare Bejide of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) came third with 12,872 votes.
Adenike Oladiji, the returning officer, announced the final results at the collation centre in Ado-Ekiti.
According to INEC, out of 988,251 registered voters, 384,940 were accredited to vote. A total of 375,777 votes were valid, while 6,332 were rejected, bringing total votes cast to 382,109.
The election was largely peaceful across the state, although reports of vote-buying, voter suppression, and technical challenges with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) were recorded in some polling units. Elderly voters were among those most affected by the glitches.
Oyebanji, 58, first assumed office as governor on June 18, 2022, and was sworn in for his first term in October of the same year.
His re-election now extends his tenure for another four years.
