INEC Confirms Oluyede’s Exclusion in Final Ekiti Governorship List

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released the final list of candidates for the June 20, 2026, governorship election in Ekiti State, confirming the exclusion of Wole Oluyede, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The decision, which had earlier surfaced in December 2025, has now been reaffirmed in the commission’s official publication, reshaping the political landscape ahead of the highly anticipated contest.

With the final list now public, political parties, candidates, and voters are expected to shift fully into campaign mode, even as concerns linger over the absence of two major party flag bearers from the ballot.

INEC’s Final List and the Confirmed Exclusions

In the list released by INEC, six candidates were cleared to contest the governorship election. They include 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, incumbent governor Biodun Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress, and Bidemi Awogbemi of the Action People’s Party.

Notably absent from the list are Wole Oluyede of the PDP and David Bankole of the Social Democratic Party. Their omission marks a significant development, given the historical prominence of their parties in Ekiti politics and the expectations that both candidates would play major roles in the contest.

INEC had first excluded Oluyede’s name when it pasted a provisional list at its Ado-Ekiti headquarters in December 2025. The confirmation of that exclusion in the final list suggests that whatever issues led to the initial omission were not resolved within the timeframe allowed by the electoral body.

Implications for the Ekiti Governorship Race

The exclusion of the PDP candidate alters the balance of the race, particularly as the party remains one of the major political forces in the state. With no PDP flag bearer on the ballot, party supporters may face a difficult choice between abstaining, aligning with another party, or supporting independent political movements.

For the ruling All Progressives Congress, the development potentially strengthens the position of Governor Biodun Oyebanji, who now faces a reduced field of challengers without a direct contest from the PDP. Smaller parties, on the other hand, may see an opportunity to expand their influence by attracting voters who would ordinarily support the excluded candidates.

As the election date approaches, attention is likely to turn to possible legal actions, party reactions, and the strategies that will define the final phase of the campaign.