The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has published the final list of candidates eligible to contest the Ekiti State governorship election scheduled for Saturday, June 20, 2026, with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) flagbearer, Dr. Wole Oluyede, notably omitted for the second time.
The confirmed candidates include:
Opeyemi Falegan (Accord Party)
Akande Oluwasegun (African Action Congress)
Ayodeji Ojo (Action Democratic Party)
Oluwadare Bejide (African Democratic Congress)
Biodun Oyebanji (All Progressives Congress – incumbent governor)
Bidemi Awogbemi (Action People’s Party)
Also excluded from the list is David Bankole of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).INEC had previously omitted Oluyede's name from its provisional list displayed at its Ado-Ekiti headquarters in December 2025.
The exclusion stems from ongoing internal crises within the PDP, including factional disputes over national leadership and a recent court ruling.
On January 13, 2026, a Federal High Court in Ado-Ekiti nullified the PDP's governorship primary that produced Oluyede as the candidate in November 2025.
The court ordered a fresh primary to comply with electoral laws and party guidelines. Oluyede, a medical practitioner, had won that primary with 279 votes against Funso Ayeni's 239 under a faction of the PDP's National Working Committee (NWC) backed by Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde.
The PDP has been grappling with leadership divisions, with factions aligned to Makinde and Plateau State Governor Bala Mohammed on one side, and others linked to former Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike.
INEC has declined to recognize certain NWC leadership claims, citing pending court cases related to the party's national convention.
Oluyede and PDP leaders have strongly criticized the exclusion, vowing to challenge it through legal means and asserting that the primary was duly monitored by INEC officials.
The PDP has already filed suits against INEC in related matters and appealed the court verdict nullifying the primary.
The final list publication aligns with INEC's timetable, following the deadline for candidate substitutions and withdrawals. With campaigns set to intensify, the absence of the PDP, a historically significant party in Ekiti, could reshape the contest, where incumbent Governor Biodun Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is seeking re-election.
No immediate response from INEC was detailed in the publication, but sources have previously attributed such omissions to unresolved legal and factional issues within parties.
Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
No comments
Post a Comment
Kindly drop a comment below.
(Comments are moderated. Clean comments will be approved immediately)
Advert Enquires - Reach out to us at NigerianEye@gmail.com