Ekiti 2026: Group Alleges Political Interference in Omission of PDP’s Candidate from INEC List

Gbenga Sodeinde in Ado-Ekiti

A pressure group, Ekiti Liberation Agenda (ELA), has alleged that political interference was responsible for the omission of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s governorship candidate, Dr. Wole Oluyede, from the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) official list of candidates ahead of the June 20, 2026 governorship election in Ekiti State.

The allegation was made yesterday  in Ado-Ekiti by Mrs. Motunde Fajuyi, a former Chairman of Ado Local Government Area and a representative of the group, while addressing journalists.

Fajuyi alleged that the exclusion of Oluyede’s name from the INEC list was not accidental, but a deliberate act aimed at preventing him from participating in the election. She claimed that the PDP candidate emerged through a primary election she described as free, fair and monitored by INEC officials.

According to her, the absence of Oluyede’s name from the published list raised concerns, especially as no formal explanation had been offered by the electoral body despite reports that the primary election met required guidelines.

Fajuyi further alleged that individuals who made enquiries at the national headquarters of INEC were informed that the commission’s chairman was “acting on orders,” though she did not provide documentary evidence to support the claim.

She said the development reinforced broader concerns about political exclusion in the state, recalling what she described as unresolved grievances during the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primaries, where she alleged that some aspirants, including  Kayode Ojo and Mrs. Abimbola Olajumoke, were disqualified without stated reasons.

Fajuyi explained that such experiences informed her decision to withdraw from partisan politics and align with other concerned citizens to form the Ekiti Liberation Agenda, which she described as a non-partisan platform advocating fairness, inclusion and due process in the political space.

She warned that failure to address the situation could heighten political tension in the state and appealed to President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the interest of democratic stability.

“The continued silence of relevant authorities on these matters is worrisome,” she said, calling for the immediate restoration of Oluyede’s name to INEC’s list of candidates.

Fajuyi stressed that the group’s position was not intended as a threat but as an appeal for fairness, insisting that denying candidates who emerged from valid primaries the opportunity to contest elections undermines democracy.

Reacting, the APC State Publicity Secretary, Segun Dipe, said: “ELA that you are talking about is not known in the political participation of any election in Ekiti, they are just meddlesome interlopers.

“It is not possible for APC to mastermind the exclusion of any person, or to disqualify our member, but the national headquarters who conduct the primary, having not met some qualifications.

“On Oluyede, go and read INEC position, it is clear they did not upload at the time, they are supposed to do, so  as to be accepted by INEC. So, how did that concern us?

“Again in PDP, remember they have three different factions, as INEC did observe, and told them. Again, how does this concern Ekiti APC or government? It is not in our interest to get anyone disqualified,” he added.