The list of candidates for the Ekiti State governorship election scheduled for June 20, 2026, has been made public by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The list, which was shown on Monday at the INEC headquarters in the state capital of Ado-Ekiti, includes the names of candidates for governor and their running mates from 12 political parties who have been given the go-ahead to run.
Opeyemi Falegan of the Accord Party, Akande Oluwasegun of the African Action Congress, Ayodeji Ojo of the Action Democratic Party, Oluwadare Bejide of the African Democratic Congress, Biodun Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress, and Bidemi Awogbemi of the Action People’s Party are among those on the list.
Others include Olaniyi Ayodele of the People’s Redemption Party, Owoola Daramola of the Young Progressive Party, Victor Adetunji of the Zenith Labour Party, Blessing Abegunde of the New Nigeria People Party, Joseph Anifowose of the Allied People’s Movement, and Oyebanji Olajuyin of the Labour Party.
Wole Oluyede, the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate, was noticeably missing from the list that the electoral umpire made public.
Oluyede, a medical expert, defeated Funso Ayeni, his closest opponent, who received 239 votes, to win the PDP governorship in November. The PDP National Working Committee, supported by Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, held the primary poll.
The PDP has been embroiled in a protracted leadership crisis that has divided the party into groups loyal to Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, and Bala Mohammed, the governor of Makinde and Bauchi State.
A plea to recognize the National Working Committee, led by Kabiru Turaki and supported by Makinde and Mohammed, was denied by INEC last week.
The commission explained that it would not update its records to reflect any changes in the PDP’s national leadership until the ongoing legal problems emanating from the party’s national convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State, in November were resolved, citing existing court rulings.
