Ekiti 2026 Governorship Race: PDP Absent as INEC Publishes Candidates’ Names and Details
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has published the list of candidates and their running mates for the June 20, 2026, governorship election in Ekiti State, confirming the participation of 12 political parties in the race. However, the absence of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from the list has drawn widespread attention and intensified debate over the party’s ongoing leadership crisis at the national level.
INEC released the list on Monday, detailing the names, ages, and deputy governorship candidates of parties cleared to contest the election. A review of the document revealed that the PDP candidate, Dr. Wole Oluyede, whose emergence was announced in November 2025, was not included among the published names.
Dr. Oluyede had reportedly emerged as the PDP governorship candidate on November 8, 2025, following a primary election conducted by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party led by Aminu Turaki. The primary was said to have been monitored by officials of INEC, lending initial legitimacy to the process. His omission from the final list has therefore raised questions about procedural compliance and internal party disputes.
A visit to the INEC state headquarters along the new Iyin-Ekiti Road in Ado-Ekiti showed that the names and particulars of PDP candidates were not displayed alongside those of other political parties. The omission, according to sources within INEC who requested anonymity, is linked to the unresolved leadership tussle within the PDP at the national level.
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The PDP has, in recent months, been embroiled in a crisis marked by the emergence of rival factions, each laying claim to the party’s leadership. This has resulted in multiple court cases and conflicting submissions to INEC, creating uncertainty over which faction has the legal authority to submit candidates for elections. Sources within the commission suggested that until the legal disputes are resolved or a clear directive is established, INEC may be unable to recognise any candidate presented by the party.
Meanwhile, INEC’s published list confirms candidates from several other political parties contesting the Ekiti governorship election. The Accord Party is represented by Opeyemi Falegan (41), with Omoyemi Olaleye (42) as running mate. The African Action Congress (AAC) has Akande Oluwasegun (36) and Oluwasanmi Fajuyigbe, while the Action Democratic Party (ADP) fields Ayodeji Ojo (42) and Itunu Ibitoye (35).
Other candidates include Oluwadare Bejide (66) and Paul Olowoyeye (52) of the African Democratic Congress (ADC). The incumbent governor, Biodun Oyebanji (58), is listed as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), with his deputy, Monisade Afuye (67), retaining her position as running mate.
The Action People’s Party (APP) is represented by Bidemi Awogbemi (36) and Akinyemi Adewumi (53), while the Allied People’s Movement (APM) has Joseph Anifowose (65) and Margaret Ilesanmi (68). The Labour Party (LP) fields Oyebanji Olajuyin (67) and Ayokunle Okumade (45), and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) presents Blessing Abegunde (35) alongside Francis Ajayi (65).
Also on the list are the People’s Redemption Party (PRP), with Olaniyi Ayodele (49) and Modupe Adebiyi (35); the Young Progressive Party (YPP), represented by Owoola Daramola (54) and Opeyemi Adeyemo (51); and the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), with Victor Adetunji (38) and Adesina Oyeniyi (35).
Political observers say the PDP’s absence from the list, if not resolved promptly, could significantly alter the dynamics of the Ekiti governorship contest. As one of Nigeria’s major opposition parties, PDP has traditionally played a competitive role in Ekiti politics. Its exclusion may narrow the field and strengthen the position of the ruling APC, while also raising broader concerns about internal democracy, party cohesion, and electoral credibility.
As the election timetable progresses, attention is expected to shift to the courts, where the PDP may seek legal redress to compel INEC to recognise its candidate. Until then, the commission’s list stands as a reflection of the current political uncertainty surrounding one of Nigeria’s most prominent political parties.