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PDP, SDP Missing as INEC Unveils Final List for Ekiti Governorship Election

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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday released the final list of candidates for the June 20 governorship election in Ekiti State, excluding the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

The document obtained by reporters showed that the names of the PDP candidate, Dr. Wole Oluyede, and the SDP candidate, David Bankole, were omitted from the final list. Sources within the commission disclosed that both parties were excluded due to unresolved court cases bordering on disputes over their leadership structures.

Following the exclusion of the PDP and SDP, INEC cleared 12 political parties to participate in the governorship contest.

According to the final list, the All Progressives Congress (APC) will field the incumbent governor, Biodun Oyebanji, 58, with Monisade Afuye, 67, as his running mate. Other candidates cleared include Opeyemi Falegan, 41, of the Accord Party with Omoyeni Bayode, 48, as deputy; Akande Oluwasegun, 36, of the African Action Congress alongside Oluwasanmi Fajuyigbe; and Ayodeji Ojo, 42, of the Action Democratic Party, with Itunu Ibitoye, 35.

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The African Democratic Congress is represented by Oluwadare Bejide, 66, and Babatola Ayodeji, 65. Also listed are Bidemi Awogbemi, 36, and Akinyemi Adewumi, 53, of the Action People’s Party; Joseph Anifowose, 65, and Margaret Ilesanmi, 68, of the Allied People’s Movement; and the Labour Party candidates, Oyebanji Olajuyin, 67, and Ayokunle Okumade, 45.

Others cleared include Blessing Abegunde, 35, of the New Nigeria People’s Party, with Francis Ajayi, 65; Olaniyi Ayodele, 49, and Modupe Adebiyi, 35, of the People’s Redemption Party; Osinkolu Olusegun and Arowolo Olusesan of the Young Progressive Party; and Victor Adetunji, 38, with Adesina Oyeniyi, 35, of the Zenith Labour Party.

INEC’s document further revealed that none of the cleared parties is fielding a female governorship candidate, although four women are listed as deputy governorship candidates. There were also no persons living with disabilities among the candidates. The commission displayed the academic qualifications of all candidates and their running mates.

Reacting to its omission, the PDP rejected INEC’s final list, insisting it remains a participant in the June 20 election. In a statement signed by Gani Salau, Special Adviser on Media to Oluyede, the party said the matter is already before a Federal High Court in Abuja, where its candidate is seeking an order of mandamus to compel INEC to publish his name.

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The PDP added that it has appealed the judgment of a Federal High Court in Ado Ekiti which ordered a fresh governorship primary and has filed a stay of execution. The party expressed confidence that the courts would rule in its favour and urged its supporters across the state’s 16 local government areas to remain calm.

Similarly, the Ekiti State Chairman of the SDP, Bamikole Ayodele, expressed shock at the non-inclusion of the party’s candidate, describing the development as unexpected. He maintained that the SDP complied with all electoral guidelines and said the party was consulting its legal team to explore lawful options to address the omission, while urging supporters to remain calm as the matter is pursued in court.

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2027: APC moves to beat INEC deadline, set to upload Tinubu, running mate this week

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The All Progressives Congress (APC) says it is on course to meet the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) July 11 deadline for the submission of its presidential and National Assembly candidates for the 2027 general elections.

A senior member of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the upload of candidates’ details was at an advanced stage, with the details of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his running mate expected to be uploaded by the middle of the week.

“We are progressing smoothly with the uploading of the details of our National Assembly candidates,” the source said.

“We hope that on or before next Wednesday, we shall upload the details of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his running mate. We are completely sure of meeting the July 11 deadline for uploading all our candidates on the INEC portal.”

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Checks at the APC’s Information and Communications Technology (ICT) department at the Muhammadu Buhari House headquarters in Abuja on Sunday indicated that the party’s technical team has continued to interface with the INEC portal without disruption.

Sources in the department said the details of most principal officers of the 10th National Assembly and several serving lawmakers had already been uploaded.

They added that the details of four serving governors — AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State, Hope Uzodimma of Imo State and Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State — had also been uploaded to the INEC portal.

The race to meet the deadline followed a review of the party’s primary elections. The APC recently submitted a revised list of candidates to INEC after the NWC removed six senatorial and 19 House of Representatives candidates who had earlier emerged from the party’s May primaries.

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The changes affected constituencies in Abia, Kogi, Taraba, Benue, Ebonyi, Ondo, Kaduna, Niger and Kwara states and followed the recommendations of the party’s Primary Election Appeal Committee.

The revised list was forwarded to INEC in a letter jointly signed by APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, and National Secretary, Ajibola Basiru.

APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, said the party received more than 700 petitions from aggrieved members after the conclusion of its primaries.

“The party received over 700 petitions from aggrieved members following the conclusion of our shadow elections,” Morka said.

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He declined to state when the final list of candidates would be released publicly, saying the party’s immediate focus was to ensure compliance with INEC’s nomination requirements.

“Our absolute immediate priority right now is ensuring that our designated candidates properly complete and return their Form EC9 nomination documents for upload ahead of the strict INEC deadline, rather than focusing on the public release of the list,” he said.

Despite the changes made by the appeal committee, the final list submitted to INEC retained many of the party’s leading figures, including four serving governors who secured the party’s tickets to contest Senate seats in the 2027 general elections.

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Senator Ogoshi Onawo resigns from ADC over incessant legal battles

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Lawmaker representing the Nasarawa South Senatorial District, Senator Mohammed Ogoshi Onawo, has officially resigned from the African Democratic Congress, ADC.

His resignation was contained in a letter dated July 2, 2026, and addressed to the ADC Ward Chairman in Galadimawa Ward, Doma Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.

The lawmaker attributed his decision to the party’s lingering internal crisis and protracted legal disputes at the national level.

In the letter sighted on Sunday by our correspondent, Onawo said his resignation takes effect from June 15, 2026.

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The lawmaker said the persistent internal wrangling and legal battles within the party made it difficult for him to pursue the developmental mandate entrusted to him by the electorate.

“It is driven by my firm belief that the prevailing circumstances within the current party structure and the endless legal battles it is currently embroiled in no longer provide the cohesion, support, and enabling environment for me to focus squarely on effectively representing my constituents and to fully realise the developmental and progressive mandate they entrusted to me,” he said.

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2027 election: ‘ INEC reveals N500bn already in its kitty

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The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Commissioner for Information and Voter Education, Mohammed Haruna, has revealed that the commission has received over N500 billion, which accounts for more than 50 percent of the budget allocated for the 2027 general elections.

During an interview with Arise News on Friday regarding election readiness and funding, Haruna said that the disbursement of these funds is a positive development.

However, he also highlighted INEC’s concerns regarding outstanding debts from previous elections and the timely release of the remaining funds necessary to fully implement their plans.

He said, “Currently, we have received more than half of the allocated funds, approximately N500 billion or slightly more. This represents over 50% of the total amount.

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“Naturally, there are still some issues to address. We have debts from the last general election due to insufficient funding at that time.

“We owe contractors around six billion, and from the statutory allocation of over 140 billion for that year, we still have an outstanding amount of over 20 billion. I believe it was just this month that the first 500 billion was released, about a week or two ago.”

In response to concerns regarding delayed funding, Haruna stated that INEC has already commenced preparations for the 2027 elections, which includes plans to acquire additional BVAS devices and other essential election materials.

“Certainly, we are concerned. Everyone shares this concern. Ultimately, the funds must be available. Therefore, it is encouraging news that more than half has been released.

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