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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.

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.

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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The son of Nigeria’s former Vice President, Abba Atiku Abubakar, has joined the All Progressives Congress with a vow to mobilize massive support for the reelection of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

He was received by the Deputy President of the Senate, Sen Barau Jibrin and the National Vice Chairman of the APC, North East, Mustafa Salihu on Thursday evening, in Abuja.

Abba Abubakar Atiku has also renamed the political group he founded in 2022 for his father from Atiku Haske Organization to Haske Bola Tinubu Organisation.

Meanwhile, some political bigwigs in northern Nigeria of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) extraction have reportedly resolved to allow power to remain in Southern Nigeria till 2031.

Our paper gathered authoritatively that a former governor of Kaduna State, Mallam El-Rufai and other northern leaders within the ADC are said to hold this position of 2027 southern presidency, firmly.

According to insiders, fielding a northern presidential candidate would mark the beginning of the end for the ADC. Such a move, it was learnt, would alienate southern voters, cost the party its national appeal, and effectively reduce it to a regional, northern-based party.

The consensus, sources say, is clear: zoning to the South is not optional, it is strategic survival for the ADC.

Alhaji Atiku Abubakar was Vice President under former President Olusegun Obasanjo on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, from 1999 to 2007.

He was the presidential standard bearer of the PDP in 2023 but defected and joined the ADC some months ago. He is said to be planning to contest for the party’s presidential ticket with which to vie for Presidency of the country, come 2027.

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A Federal High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti, the capital of Ekiti State, on Tuesday nullified the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primary election which produced Dr Wole Oluyede as the party’s candidate for the 2026 governorship election.

The court also ordered the PDP to conduct a new governorship primary election in Ekiti State.

The court gave the order while delivering judgement in a suit filed by a governorship aspirant, Funsho Ayeni, against PDP and the Independent National Election Commission (INEC).

Ayeni had approached the court to challenge the validity of the governorship primary election, alleging that the party failed to present the original and authentic list of statutory and ad hoc delegates used for the exercise.

He also argued that the absence of the original delegates’ list constituted a fundamental breach of the PDP guidelines and the Electoral Act, thereby rendering the primary election invalid.

Delivering judgement, Justice Babs Kuewumi held that the conduct of the primary election did not comply with the provisions of the law and the party’s constitution.

Justice Kuewumi nullified the primary election and ordered PDP, in conjunction with INEC, to conduct a fresh primary election in strict compliance with the law and relevant guidelines.

The judge ordered that all eligible aspirants be allowed to participate in the fresh primary election to ensure transparency, fairness and internal democracy within the party.