The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has announced plans to seek legal redress following the exclusion of its governorship candidate from the list of contestants released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the 2026 Ekiti State governorship election.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the opposition party accused INEC of acting unfairly by failing to include its flagbearer in the officially published list of candidates cleared to participate in the election.
INEC had on Monday displayed the list of governorship candidates and their deputies at its headquarters in Ado-Ekiti, featuring nominees from 12 political parties. However, the name of the PDP candidate, Wole Oluyede, was notably missing.
Reacting to the development, the PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, said the electoral body acted irresponsibly by omitting a candidate who emerged from a properly conducted and monitored primary election. He stressed that there is no court order preventing INEC from recognising Oluyede as the party’s nominee.
According to the PDP, INEC officials were present at the party’s governorship primary and later issued reports confirming that the exercise complied with all relevant laws. The party also said INEC initially provided nomination portal access codes, only to allegedly block them shortly before the submission deadline, forcing a manual submission that was officially acknowledged by the Commission.
The party warned that excluding a validly nominated candidate carries serious consequences for the democratic process and insisted that INEC should have acted with caution by publishing Oluyede’s name pending any legal dispute.
Reaffirming its commitment to defending democracy, the PDP disclosed that it has already initiated court action to compel INEC to reverse its decision. The party further urged the electoral body to uphold neutrality, independence, and fairness in the discharge of its constitutional duties.
The PDP cautioned that any perceived partisanship by INEC could undermine public confidence in the electoral process and ultimately damage the institution itself, stressing that the Commission must act in protection of democracy rather than against it.
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