INEC Speaks: Winner Emerges In Ondo South Senatorial By-Election

Faduyile, a former President of the Nigerian Medical Association, currently serves as Special Adviser on Health Matters to Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

The Returning Officer, Prof. Gbenga Solomon-Ibileye, Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University Lokoja, announced the result on Sunday at the collation centre in Okitipupa, Okitipupa Local Government Area.

He stated that Faduyile secured 68,474 votes to defeat his closest rival, Adeolu Akinwunmi of the Allied People’s Movement (APM), who polled 1,411 votes.

Adesanya Olaoluwa of the Action Peoples Party (APP) received 213 votes, while Clement Funso-Nejo of the Boot Party (BP) scored 70 votes.

According to the Returning Officer, a total of 70,770 votes were cast in the election, with 602 ballots rejected.

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

The election was held to fill the vacant seat left by Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, following his appointment as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations.

Meanwhile, the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in Ondo State, Dr. Mutiu Agboke, described the exercise as a “testing ground” ahead of the 2027 general elections.

He noted that minor challenges recorded during the poll would help the commission improve future electoral processes, adding that all personnel deployed to riverine areas returned safely without any reported incidents.