The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released the official list of candidates and their running mates for the June 20, 2026 governorship election in Ekiti State, conspicuously excluding the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party from the exercise.
The electoral body on Monday displayed the names and particulars of candidates from 12 political parties at its state headquarters in Ado-Ekiti.
However, the name of the PDP governorship candidate, Wole Oluyede, was absent from the list, raising fresh concerns about the deepening internal crisis rocking the opposition party.
Oluyede had emerged as the PDP’s flagbearer at a primary election conducted on November 9 by the party’s former National Working Committee (NWC) led by Umar Damagum.
Despite this, the electoral body failed to recognise the PDP candidate and his running mate among the officially published entries.
Sources within INEC, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to lack of authorisation, attributed the omission to the unresolved leadership tussle within the PDP at the national level.
According to the sources, the commission is constrained by multiple litigations arising from the existence of rival factions, each laying claim to the party’s leadership.
The crisis intensified after a factional national convention held in Ibadan between November 15 and 16 produced a Kabiru Turaki-led NWC. That convention was, however, rejected by another faction headed by Mohammed Abdulrahman, which is reportedly aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
The Abdulrahman-led group insisted the Ibadan convention violated subsisting court orders.
INEC has since maintained that it would not recognise either of the contending factions until the courts finally resolve the disputes, citing existing judicial pronouncements as the basis for its position. This stance has effectively shut the PDP out of the Ekiti governorship race, unless the party resolves its internal crisis within the timelines allowed by the electoral law.
Meanwhile, the commission published the following governorship candidates and their running mates for the election:
-
Accord Party: Opeyemi Falegan (41) / Omoyemi Olaleye (42)
-
African Action Congress: Akande Oluwasegun (36) / Oluwasanmi Fajuyigbe
-
Action Democratic Party: Ayodeji Ojo (42) / Itunu Ibitoye (35)
-
African Democratic Congress: Oluwadare Bejide (66) / Paul Olowoyeye (52)
-
All Progressives Congress: Biodun Oyebanji (58) / Monisade Afuye (67)
-
Action People’s Party: Bidemi Awogbemi (36) / Akinyemi Adewumi (53)
-
Allied People’s Movement: Joseph Anifowose (65) / Margaret Ilesanmi (68)
-
Labour Party: Oyebanji Olajuyin (67) / Ayokunle Okumade (45)
-
New Nigeria People’s Party: Blessing Abegunde (35) / Francis Ajayi (65)
-
People’s Redemption Party: Olaniyi Ayodele (49) / Modupe Adebiyi (35)
-
Young Progressive Party: Owoola Daramola (54) / Opeyemi Adeyemo (51)
-
Zenith Labour Party: Victor Adetunji (38) / Adesina Oyeniyi (35)
With less than a year to the election, the PDP’s absence from the official list represents a significant political setback in Ekiti State and underscores how prolonged internal conflicts can translate into electoral consequences.
