Dare Bejide, the African Democratic Congress governorship candidate in Ekiti State, has completely dismissed the outcome of the newly concluded gubernatorial election. Speaking after the electoral umpire declared the incumbent governor victorious, the opposition leader raised critical issues concerning the validity of the entire process.
According to a video posted on the Official YouTube channel of Arise News on Monday, June 22, 2026, while reacting to the official declarations coming from the state collation centers, he stated, “as we were campaigning, they were mocking us because they knew that at the end of the day, what would count is the purchase of the votes.”
The political heavyweight explained that widespread vote trading across various local governments severely compromised the democratic integrity of the ballot. He alleged that prominent chieftains from major rival parties aggressively distributed cash at numerous polling booths, which ultimately triggered uncontrollable disorder and confusion among voters.
Providing specific details, the state politician claimed that security officials initially confiscated large sums of money in locations like Ilawe-Ekiti before returning them after closed-door negotiations. He noted that his personal voting area became a primary target for agents carrying bags of cash.
Furthermore, the opposition candidate lamented that senior political figures and state actors arrived at the voting venues heavily guarded by security personnel, creating a highly intimidating atmosphere. He stated that his complaints to law enforcement went unanswered as local drivers faced physical assault.
In his concluding remarks, the candidate stated that his team is actively compiling official field results from all wards across the state. He emphasized that consultations with national party leaders will dictate their subsequent legal actions against the declared outcome to protect democratic principles.
