The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it has published the names of candidates cleared to contest the June 20, 2026, governorship election in Ekiti state.
The electoral body displayed the list on Monday at its state headquarters in Ado-Ekiti, featuring governorship candidates and their running mates from 12 political parties.
Those listed include Opeyemi Falegan of the Accord Party (AP), 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 cleared are Biodun Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bidemi Awogbemi of the Action People’s Party (APP), Joseph Anifowose of the Allied People’s Movement (APM), and Oyebanji Olajuyin of the Labour Party (LP).
Other candidates on the list are Blessing Abegunde of the New Nigeria People Party (NNPP), Olaniyi Ayodele of the People’s Redemption Party (PRP), Owoola Daramola of the Young Progressive Party (YPP), and Victor Adetunji of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
Wole Oluyede, the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was not included in the published list.
Oluyede, a medical professional, emerged as the PDP candidate in November after polling 279 votes to defeat Funso Ayeni, who scored 239 votes.
The primary election was organised by the party’s national working committee aligned with Seyi Makinde, governor of Oyo, and supported by Bala Mohammed, governor of Bauchi.
The PDP has since been engulfed in an internal leadership dispute that has split the party into rival blocs backed by Makinde and Mohammed on one side and Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), on the other.
Last week, the electoral commission declined to recognise the national working committee led by Kabiru Turaki, which is supported by the Makinde and Mohammed faction.
INEC explained that its decision was based on existing court rulings and said it would not amend its records until legal challenges arising from the party’s national convention held in Ibadan in November are resolved.
