Adedokun Waliyu 
Residents of Ekiti State will today elect a new governor who will steer the affairs of the state for the next four years.
A total of 989,202 registered voters are expected to troop out to the polls to make their choice from a list of 16 governorship candidates.
The candidates are Reuben Famuyibo of the Accord Party; Ajagunigbale Olajide of AAC; Oluwole Oluyede, ADC; Kemi Elebute-Halle, ADP; Abiodun Oyebanji, APC; Benjamin Abidoyin, APGA; Fagbemo Adegbenro, APM; Christiana Olatawura, APP; and Daramola Olugbenga, LP.
Others are Fatomilola Oladosu, NNPP; Iyaniwura Ifedayo, NRM; Olabisi Kolawole, PDP; Ben Agboola, PRP; former Governor Olusegun Oni, SDP; Adebowale Ajayi, YPP and Adeola Akinyemi, ZLP.
Although all the candidates campaigned and canvassed votes, three of them, Messrs Oyebanji, Oni and Kolawole of the APC, SDP and PDP respectively, are considered the frontrunners with one of them most likely to win the election. Whoever wins today’s election, will replace the outgoing governor, Kayode Fayemi, in October.
The leading candidates have their strength in all the 16 local government areas with a total of 177 wards or registration areas and a cumulative number of 2,445 polling units.
The people have been sensitised. INEC has assured of its readiness to conduct a successful poll. The police and other security agencies have been mobilised and deployed to protect the voters and the ballots.
