Fresh from his landslide re-election victory, Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji has thanked residents of the state for what he described as overwhelming support and a peaceful electoral process, while extending an olive branch to opposition parties.

The governor said the June 20 governorship election demonstrated the maturity of Ekiti's democracy and set a new standard for peaceful elections in Nigeria.

Governor Oyebanji, who won all 177 wards and the 16 local government areas in the election, expressed gratitude to the people of Ekiti for giving him another four-year mandate.

In a statement issued on Monday by his Special Adviser on Media, Yinka Oyebode, the governor described the victory as humbling and pledged to work harder to deliver greater dividends of democracy during his second term.

"I owe all Ekiti sons and daughters, at home and in the diaspora, a debt of gratitude for their overwhelming support and for the fresh mandate to serve for another four years," the governor said.

Beyond celebrating his victory, Oyebanji appealed to the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Wole Oluyede, and the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Ambassador Dare Bejide, to join his administration in building a more prosperous Ekiti State.

The governor also commended traditional rulers, political leaders, religious groups, labour unions, security agencies and members of the media for contributing to a peaceful election.

Oyebanji praised the conduct of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), describing the exercise as a significant improvement over previous elections in the state.

He attributed the progress to the dedication of electoral officials and the impact of the Electoral Act signed into law by President Bola Tinubu.

Both Punch and Daily Post focused on the governor's message of gratitude and reconciliation, although Daily Post placed greater emphasis on his appeal to opposition candidates to work together for the state's development.

The outcome of the Ekiti governorship election is being viewed by political observers as a major endorsement of Oyebanji's administration and could influence political calculations ahead of future elections in the South-West.

The peaceful conduct of the poll has also been highlighted as an example of how electoral contests can be managed without widespread violence or unrest.

The attention now shifts to how the governor will implement his second-term agenda and whether his call for political cooperation will receive a positive response from opposition parties.