Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) don release official list of candidates wey go contest Ekiti State governorship election scheduled for June 20, 2026, but Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Wole Oluyede, no make the list.
INEC paste the list on Monday for their headquarters for Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital. The document show names of governorship candidates and their running mates from 12 different political parties.
According to the list, candidates wey make am include Opeyemi Falegan for Accord Party, Akande Oluwasegun for African Action Congress (AAC), Ayodeji Ojo for Action Democratic Party (ADP), and Oluwadare Bejide for African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Others be Biodun Oyebanji of All Progressives Congress (APC), Bidemi Awogbemi for Action People’s Party (APP), Joseph Anifowose of Allied People’s Movement (APM), Oyebanji Olajuyin for Labour Party (LP), Blessing Abegunde of New Nigeria People Party (NNPP), Olaniyi Ayodele for People’s Redemption Party (PRP), Owoola Daramola of Young Progressive Party (YPP), and Victor Adetunji for Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
However, name of PDP candidate, Wole Oluyede, no appear for the list released by INEC.
Oluyede, wey be medical expert, emerge as PDP governorship candidate for November after party primary election. E win with 279 votes, beating Funso Ayeni wey get 239 votes. PDP National Working Committee (NWC), with support from Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, conduct the primary election.
PDP don dey face serious leadership crisis for months now, as the party split into two camps. One faction dey loyal to Governors Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, while the other camp dey support Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Just last week, INEC reject request to recognise PDP NWC led by Kabiru Turaki, wey Makinde and Mohammed support. INEC talk say based on plenty court judgements, dem no fit update their records to recognise any new PDP national leadership.
The electoral body explain say dem go wait until courts finally settle all cases wey dey challenge the PDP national convention wey happen for Ibadan, Oyo State capital, in November, before dem go take any further action.
As things stand, PDP no get candidate for Ekiti 2026 governorship election, pending resolution of the party internal crisis.
