Ekiti 2026: INEC excludes PDP, SDP as it releases final governorship candidates list

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released the final list of candidates and running mates for the Ekiti State governorship election scheduled for 20 June 2026, with the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Social Democratic Party (SDP) again missing from the ballot.

The list, published on Monday, does not include the PDP governorship candidate, Wole Oluyede, or his running mate. The names of the SDP candidate, David Bankole, and his deputy are also absent.

INEC made no major changes to the provisional list issued on 29 December 2025, except for the Young Peoples Party (YPP), which replaced both its candidate and running mate. The YPP substituted Owoola Daramola and Opeyemi Adeyemo with Osinkolu Ayodele as governorship candidate and Arowolo Olusesan as running mate.

INEC had earlier omitted Mr Oluyede’s name from the provisional list, citing conflicting court judgments arising from the PDP’s prolonged national leadership crisis. The dispute has resulted in parallel party factions and multiple court cases.

A visit to INEC’s Ekiti State office in Ado-Ekiti on Monday confirmed that both the PDP and SDP were excluded from the final publication.

INEC officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to lack of authorisation, said the unresolved legal battles over the PDP’s leadership remain the basis for the commission’s decision.

Despite the omission, Mr Oluyede has maintained that he remains the PDP’s valid candidate. In a statement issued by his spokesperson on Monday, he disclosed that the party has approached the Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking an order compelling INEC to publish his name.

He expressed confidence that the court would rule in his favour and urged party members and supporters in Ekiti State to remain calm as the case proceeds.

Below is the final list of candidates and running mates released by INEC:

Accord Party: Opeyemi Falegan / Omoyemi Olaleye

African Action Congress (AAC): Akande Oluwasegun / Oluwasanmi Fajuyigbe

Action Democratic Party (ADP): Ayodeji Ojo / Itunu Ibitoye

African Democratic Congress (ADC): Oluwadare Bejide / Paul Olowoyeye

All Progressives Congress (APC): Biodun Oyebanji / Monisade Afuye

Action People’s Party (APP): Bidemi Awogbemi / Akinyemi Adewumi

Allied People’s Movement (APM): Joseph Anifowose / Margaret Ilesanmi

Labour Party (LP): Oyebanji Olajuyin / Ayokunle Okumade

New Nigeria People Party (NNPP): Blessing Abegunde / Francis Ajayi

People’s Redemption Party (PRP): Olaniyi Ayodele / Modupe Adebiyi

Young Peoples Party (YPP): Osinkolu Olusegun Ayodele / Arowolo David Olusesan

Zenith Labour Party (ZLP): Victor Adetunji / Adesina Oyeniyi

The Ekiti governorship election is expected to draw heightened political and legal attention as court cases involving excluded parties continue.