Drama as INEC excludes PDP’s Oluyede from final list of Ekiti guber candidates

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released the final list of candidates for the Ekiti State governorship election scheduled for June 20, 2026.

According to the list made public by the commission, candidates cleared to contest the election include Opeyemi Falegan of the Accord Party, Akande Oluwasegun of the African Action Congress (AAC), Ayodeji Ojo of the Action Democratic Party (ADP), and Oluwadare Bejide of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

Also listed are the incumbent governor, Biodun Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and Bidemi Awogbemi of the Action People’s Party (APP).

However, the names of Wole Oluyede, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and David Bankole of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) were notably absent from the final list released by INEC.

The electoral umpire had initially excluded the PDP candidate’s name when it pasted the list at its headquarters in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, in December 2025.

On January 13, a federal high court in Ado-Ekiti nullified the governorship primary that produced Oluyede.

The court also ordered the party to conduct a fresh primary election in compliance with the law and its internal guidelines.

Oluyede, a medical expert, was elected the PDP gubernatorial candidate in November.

He secured 279 votes to defeat Funso Ayeni, his closest challenger, who received 239 votes. The election was conducted by the PDP national working committee (NWC) backed by Seyi Makinde, governor of Oyo.

The PDP has been grappling with a leadership crisis, which has polarised it into factions – one camp backed by Makinde and Bala Mohammed, his Bauchi counterpart, and another by Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Last month, INEC rejected a request to recognise the NWC chaired by Kabiru Turaki, which has the backing of Makinde and Mohammed.

The electoral umpire cited multiple court judgements for its decision, noting that it would not update its records to reflect any change in the opposition party’s national leadership pending the resolution of ongoing cases challenging the national convention held in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital, in November.