- INEC has released the provisional list of governorship and deputy governorship candidates for the Ekiti State governorship election
- The list raised a fresh dust about the fate of the leading opposition PDP, as its name and candidate were omitted
- A reliable source closer to the development disclosed the reason for the commission’s action ahead of the June 2026 election
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has raised a dust after releasing the provisional list for the governorship and deputy governorship candidates for the Ekiti State governorship election scheduled for June 20, 2026.
This is as the names of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the election, Wole Oluyede and his deputy, were not among the provisional list released by the electoral body.
Photo Credit: @OfficialPDPNig
Source: Twitter
According to Vanguard, the list featured candidates from 12 political parties are contesting in the forthcoming poll. The list was pasted at the commission’s office along the New Iyin Road, Ado Ekiti, the state capital, on Monday, December 29.
List of Ekiti governorship candidates
Current Governor Biodun Oyebanji (58), with Monisade Afuye (67) as his running mate, are candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as stated in the list.
Other candidates whose names were shortlisted include Akande Oluwasegun (36) of the African Action Congress, paired with Oluwasanmi Fajuyigbe; Opeyemi Falegan (41) of the Accord Party, with Omoyemi Olaleye (42) as deputy; Ayodeji Ojo (42) of the Action Democratic Party, with Itunu Ibitoye (35) as running mate; and the African Democratic Congress’s Oluwadare Bejide (66) and Paul Olowoyeye (52).
Also included in the list are the Action People’s Party has Bidemi Awogbemi (36) and Akinyemi Adewumi (53) on its ticket; Blessing Abegunde (35) with Francis Ajayi (65) of the New Nigeria People’s Party; Joseph Anifowose (65) and Margaret Ilesanmi (68) of the Allied People’s Movement; and the Labour Party’s Oyebanji Olajuyin (67) and Ayokunle Okumade (45)
INEC also listed the names of the Young Progressive Party’s Owoola Daramola (54) and Opeyemi Adeyemo (51); Olaniyi Ayodele (49) and Modupe Adebiyi (35) of the People’s Redemption Party; and the Zenith Labour Party’s candidates are Victor Adetunji (38) and Adesina Oyeniyi (35).
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Why INEC removed PDP from Ekiti poll
However, a reliable source in the INEC office disclosed that the reason for the omission of the PDP candidate from the list was because of the ongoing court cases about the party’s leadership, which were yet to be resolved.
Recall that in November, the PDP, with the support of Governors Makinde and Mohammed, held a national convention of the party in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital, which led to the emergence of the NWC.
The national convention was marred by a series of conflicting court rulings. Some of them are from the Federal High Court in Abuja, which stopped the party from going ahead with the convention. On the contrary, the PDP was cleared to go ahead with the convention by the Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan and directed the electoral body to monitor the process.
Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), leading another group that opposed the convention, later formed a parallel NWC, Board of Trustees (BOT) and National Executive Committee (NEC).
Makinde on running for the presidency
Legit.ng earlier reported that Makinde opened up on increasing speculation about his possible interest in the 2027 presidential election.
Makinde said he is qualified and even “overqualified” to serve Nigeria at the highest level.
The governor said his confidence stems from his years of experience both as a private sector professional and as a two-term governor of one of Nigeria’s key South-West states.
Source: Legit.ng