Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s resounding re-election victory in Ekiti State was powered as much by data analytics and digital voter-targeting as by the traditional might of the All Progressives Congress (APC) political machine.
This is according to campaign insiders and political analysts who say the poll signals a turning point in how Nigerian elections are won.
Behind the result was Monan Innovation, a political consulting and campaign management firm engaged by the APC to drive voter outreach, intelligence gathering and campaign logistics across the state’s 16 local government areas.
It was a departure from the rally-heavy, patronage-driven campaign style that has long dominated Nigerian politics.
Months before voters went to the polls, the firm deployed personnel across the state to map registered voters, gather community-level intelligence and open direct communication channels with the electorate.
It built a picture of voter demographics, sentiment and local concerns that shaped how and where the campaign deployed its resources.
The firm’s Chief Executive Officer, Moji Yakubu, said the strategy was deliberately built to replace guesswork with evidence.
“Our approach is centred on understanding the mindset of the electorate and helping campaign teams make informed, data-driven decisions.
“This enables resources to be deployed more effectively and improves voter engagement,” she said.
Yakubu said the methodology combined pre-campaign research, real-time campaign monitoring and post-election analysis, allowing the APC to identify the most effective channels for reaching different segments of the electorate rather than relying on blanket mobilisation.
The approach drew praise from Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, who described Monan Innovation as a team of young professionals using technology to sharpen electoral strategy.
He said the firm’s voter-mapping work allowed the campaign to move beyond rallies and mass gatherings to engage verified voters directly, strengthening communication links with communities statewide once the conventional phase of campaigning had run its course.
The data strategy was matched by equally unconventional campaign hardware.
Monan Innovation introduced automatic remote-controlled mobile stage trucks fitted with giant LED screens – mobile units that could transform into fully functional stages within minutes, then revert just as quickly, cutting the logistical costs typically associated with large rallies.
The trucks followed Oyebanji across his statewide campaign tour, serving as platforms for speeches, voter interaction and multimedia displays of his administration’s achievements.
The same technology featured prominently at the APC’s mega rally in Ado-Ekiti, attended by Vice President Kashim Shettima and other senior party figures, where Yakubu said the LED platforms widened visibility for campaign messaging and enabled real-time coverage of the event.