Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has dismissed online criticism of his administration following his re-election victory, insisting that social media commentary has no influence on electoral outcomes.
Oyebanji spoke on Sunday after securing a second term in office following the June 20 governorship election in Ekiti State.
Addressing supporters, the governor said political judgment is ultimately made at the ballot box, not on digital platforms, adding that performance and direct engagement with citizens remain the real determinants of electoral success.
“There are no polling units on social media,” Oyebanji said.
He likened governance to farming, noting that those who work the ground are rewarded during harvest season, while others who remain inactive focus on online commentary.
“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,” he said.
The governor further argued that individuals who fail to connect with citizens often resort to media criticism instead of grassroots engagement.
“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 tell lies against the government, stay on social media whipping up sentiments. Yesterday was their day of reckoning,” he added.
Oyebanji recorded a sweeping victory across all 16 local government areas of the state in the election.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared that he 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.
INEC Returning Officer, Adenike Oladiji, announced the final results at the collation centre in Ado-Ekiti.
According to the commission, 384,940 voters were accredited from 988,251 registered voters, while 375,777 votes were valid and 6,332 rejected, bringing total votes cast to 382,109.
The election was largely peaceful, though reports of vote-buying allegations, voter suppression concerns and technical glitches involving the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) were recorded in some areas.
Oyebanji, who first assumed office in 2022, will now continue for a second term following his decisive re-election victory.
