Ekiti Opposition Bloc Warns INEC Over PDP Candidate Omission
Tension heightened in Ekiti State on Tuesday as opposition political parties, operating under the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC), raised concerns over the omission of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Dr Wole Oluyede, from the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) provisional list for the June 20 governorship election.
The opposition parties warned that the credibility of the forthcoming poll could be undermined if any legally nominated candidate is excluded, insisting that inclusiveness remains central to democratic elections.
IPAC Chairman in Ekiti State, Owoola Daramola, made the position known while leading members of the PDP and other opposition groups on a peaceful demonstration to the INEC state headquarters in Ado-Ekiti.
Protesters displayed placards and sang solidarity songs, demanding clarity from the electoral body over the PDP candidate’s absence from the list.
Addressing party leaders and journalists after a closed-door meeting with INEC officials, Daramola stressed that opposition parties would not accept what he described as selective participation in the election.
He maintained that IPAC was convinced the PDP followed due process in its governorship primary and urged INEC to publicly explain the basis for excluding Oluyede’s name.
“If any candidate is removed without lawful justification, it casts doubt on the entire process,” Daramola said, adding that opposition parties might reconsider participation should the situation remain unresolved.
Representing the PDP at the protest, party chieftain Ayodeji Ogunsakin described the development as unprecedented in the state’s political history.
Ogunsakin, a former deputy governorship candidate, said the party was surprised by the exclusion, noting that INEC officials monitored the primary election that produced Oluyede.
He argued that there was no court order restraining the PDP from conducting its primaries and no post-primary judgment nullifying the process.
According to him, the party complied with all procedural requirements, including conducting its primary before its national convention.
Ogunsakin also accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of allegedly benefitting from the exclusion, warning against actions that could edge the country toward a one-party system.
Responding to the concerns, the Ekiti State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr Bunmi Omoseyindemi, through the Head of Election and Party Monitoring Department, Kehinde Mustafa, said the matter was outside the jurisdiction of the state office.
Mustafa explained that decisions relating to the publication of candidates’ names were handled at INEC’s national headquarters in Abuja and advised the PDP to formally direct its complaints there.
He reaffirmed INEC’s commitment to neutrality and adherence to the Electoral Act, assuring stakeholders that preparations for a credible and peaceful election were ongoing.
INEC had, on December 29, 2025, released the list of candidates for the Ekiti governorship election, excluding Oluyede’s name. The commission’s timetable indicates that the deadline for withdrawal or replacement of candidates is January 12, 2026, while the final list is expected to be published on January 19, 2026.
The controversy is unfolding amid a leadership dispute within the PDP at the national level, which has led to factional divisions.
One faction, led by Taminu Turaki, has reportedly approached the court to challenge the exclusion of the party’s candidate from the Ekiti governorship race.
Meanwhile, PDP leaders in the state insist they will pursue all legal and political options to ensure their candidate is reinstated ahead of the election.
