In July this yr, the individuals of Ekiti State are anticipated to go to the polls to elect a governor who will lead the state for the following 4 years. Nevertheless, analysts are of the view that the competition might be something however rigorous and eager, writes Timothy Agbor.
The Impartial Nationwide Electoral Fee has cleared not less than 12 political events and their candidates for the July 20, 2026, governorship election.
The umpire displayed the candidates’ names in keeping with its tips, however overlooked the title of the key opposition Peoples Democratic Occasion candidate.
Additionally, INEC, in keeping with its tips and the Electoral Act, printed the non-public particulars of the candidates on December 29, 2025, whereas the political events’ alternative to withdraw candidates and change such lapsed on January 12, 2026, after which it printed the ultimate record of nominated candidates of the collaborating political events final Monday.
“THE ROAD TO THE JULY 2026 ELECTION IS A DIFFERENT BALL GAME, WITH THE TRIO OF FAYEMI, FAYOSE, ONI, AND OTHER CRITICAL STAKEHOLDERS IN EKITI’S POLITICAL CIRCLE NOW PLEDGING THEIR SUPPORT TO OYEBANJI, A SITUATION THAT MAY LEAVE THE ELECTORATE IN THE STATE WITH LITTLE OR NO CHOICE OF ALTERNATIVE.”
The events and their candidates included the ruling All Progressives Congress and incumbent governor, Biodun Oyebanji; PDP’s Wole Oluyede (omitted); African Democratic Congress, Dare Bejide; Younger Progressives Occasion, Daramola Owoola; Social Democratic Occasion, David Bankole; New Nigeria Peoples Occasion, Blessing Abegunde; Accord, Opeyemi Falegan; and Labour Occasion, Oyebanji Olajuyin.
Others are Motion Individuals’s Occasion, Bidemi Awogbemi; Individuals’s Redemption Occasion, Olaniyi Ayodele; Zenith Labour Occasion, Victor Adetunji; and African Motion Congress, Akande Oluwasegun.
In contrast to up to now, when governorship elections within the Land of Honour and Integrity had been at all times charged and rigorously contested, the environment this time is greater than calm and serene, with indications that there could also be little or no contest.
The infighting within the main opposition PDP has severely weakened the celebration, whereas the coalition ADC seems to be missing the political energy to problem the ruling APC.
Observers within the state consider that different collaborating platforms are merely within the race to fill the numbers.
In contrast to the previous three gubernatorial polls within the state, the place former governor Segun Oni within the 2022 race contested on the SDP platform however gave the incumbent, Oyebanji, a severe problem.
Additionally, in 2018, former governor Kayode Fayemi of the APC defeated the candidate of the then ruling PDP, simply as he (Fayemi) was additionally defeated as incumbent by erstwhile governor Ayodele Fayose of the PDP in 2014.
The street to the July 2026 election is a distinct ball recreation, with the trio of Fayemi, Fayose, Oni, and different important stakeholders in Ekiti’s political circle now pledging their help to Oyebanji, a state of affairs which will depart the citizens within the state with little or no selection of other.
The one opposition rearing its head for now could be maybe throughout the ruling celebration, within the particular person of Kayode Ojo, who was barred by the APC’s nationwide management from collaborating within the celebration’s primaries with Oyebanji.
Oyebanji of APC.
Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, is a former college instructor and well-rounded politician.
He emerged as an APC candidate via a consensus course of following the second aspirant, Mrs Atinuke Omolayo’s withdrawal from the race and help for him.
Earlier, of the 4 individuals that obtained APC nomination types, the celebration cleared two — Oyebanji and Omolayo — for the first and disqualified Kayode Ojo and Olajumoke Abimbola.
Earlier than the primaries, it should be famous that over 300 {groups} and our bodies from inside and outdoors the APC endorsed Oyebanji for a second time period, citing his efficiency and achievements in workplace in numerous sectors of the state economic system.
His strengths embrace being an incumbent governor with sturdy grassroots help, his scorecard, which incorporates infrastructure improvement and healthcare achievements, and an agricultural revolution.
Moreover, all of the non-partisan Ekiti elites, together with the authorized icon, Aare Afe Babalola, the senior lawyer, Wole Olanipekun, amongst others, are rooting for his second time period.
Additionally, some main PDP stakeholders, together with the group led by Fayose, the Osoko Political Meeting and people belonging to the previous minority chief within the Senate, Chief Biodun Olujimi, are backing the governor.
Oyebanji is from Ekiti Central senatorial district, the place the affect of the incumbent Senate Chief, Opeyemi Bamidele, looms massive.
With Bamidele’s help within the zone, the governor could also be relaxation assured of victory.
Moreover, the whole native authorities construction is being galvanised to help him.
Additionally, the state government council, the Nationwide Meeting, in addition to the state legislators are backing him.
What was extra, the deputy governorship candidate, Mrs Monisade Afuye, is from Ikere Ekiti within the Ekiti South senatorial district.
She is a princess of the Ikere kingdom, which is probably the most populous neighborhood after the state capital, Ado.
Many federal appointees, together with the Chairman/CEO of the Federal Housing Authority, Oyetunde Ojo, the Chairman of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Dayo Adeyeye, and different appointees of President Bola Tinubu, are additionally working for his re-election.
State and native authorities staff, in addition to these within the casual sector, together with members of the Nationwide Union of Street Transport Staff, help the governor.
Some observers, nevertheless, have expressed concern that, with Oyebanji’s victory on July 20, 2026, he could succumb to the whims and caprices of the current godfathers over the following 4 years somewhat than specializing in insurance policies that profit the vast majority of Ekiti residents.
Dismissing such considerations, APC State spokesperson, Segun Dipe, stated all of the stakeholders at the moment backing Oyebanji are progressives in nature and character, whereas the likes of Chief Afe Babalola and Olanipekun and different elder statesmen are of impeccable character, who’ve contributed their quota and are able to do extra for the event of the state.
He stated, “We’re the celebration to beat and our candidate is the candidate.
He isn’t solely the candidate, however the one who will definitely win the election.
It’s identified to the deaf and identified to the blind.
All people on this state is aware of that APC will win and the candidate, who’s the incumbent, might be in that seat till 2030, when he’ll hand over to a different candidate from our celebration.”
PDP’s Oluyede.
The PDP elected a medical skilled, Wole Oluyede, as its candidate.
He’s a dogged politician who, in 2018, contested for the APC ticket however ended up flying the ADC flag in 2022.
His energy lies in his roots in Ikere Ekiti, the second most populous city after Ado Ekiti.
The neighborhood and Ekiti South have been craving for the governorship, which has remained elusive to the zone.
After the APC candidate, Oluyede, is taken into account formidable due to his heavy struggle chest.
The Australia-based medical physician would rely closely on the PDP constructions throughout all 16 native governments.
Though Oluyede believes the PDP has what it takes to defeat the ruling APC, his probabilities rely upon whether or not INEC finally lists his title on the contestants’ record.
The lingering nationwide crises affecting the PDP stand as an enormous minus for him, even when his title is finally listed by INEC.
At current, Oluyede’s candidacy is dealing with two authorized landmines.
A Federal Excessive Court docket sitting in Ado Ekiti has simply nullified his major and ordered a rerun.
Moreover, the go well with difficult the conference of the faction that nominated him is at the moment pending on the Court docket of Attraction.
Moreover, many bigwigs and chieftains of the celebration are decamping to the ADC.
That is at the same time as former Governor Fayose has not minced phrases in declaring his help for the APC candidate.
Oluwadare Bejide of ADC.
Ambassador Oluwadare Bejide is a former Nigerian Excessive Commissioner to Canada, former Secretary to the Ekiti State Authorities and pioneer PDP state scribe.
He received the ADC ticket after defeating 4 different aspirants.
Although new to the governorship contest, Bejide, from Ekiti West Native Authorities in Ekiti South senatorial zone, might faucet into the Ekiti South marginalisation sentiment to win votes.
He is also a beneficiary of the disaster within the PDP if Oluyede is finally barred from contesting, given that he’s a decampee from the PDP himself.
Many consider that members of the PDP and different undecided voters might vote for him somewhat than pitch their tent with different events.
He could face the problem of getting restricted governorship expertise.
The political platform or automobile on which the candidate is looking for validation lacks a grassroots construction in Ekiti.
Moreover, he’ll depend on {financial} help from ADC’s main stakeholders, together with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, erstwhile governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, former governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola, and others.
Many are of the view that Bejide personally doesn’t have the {financial} struggle chest to compete with the incumbent governor, who has state sources at his disposal.
Moreover, the first election he received was very acrimonious and controversial, and he has proffered fence-mending and reconciliation if he hopes to make any affect on July 20.
Bejide, nevertheless, is assured that the individuals of Ekiti are searching for somebody who will remedy their issues, which is why, to him, the ADC stays related.
“We’re going to win, we’re going to run an excellent marketing campaign in Ekiti State, and we’re going to win,” he stated.
Owoola of YPP.
The YPP candidate, Daramola Owoola, just isn’t new to Ekiti politics; he was the Chairman of the Inter-Occasion Advisory Council within the state.
He’s banking on his youthful energy, which he plans to make use of to attraction to youths throughout Ekiti come July.
However observers stated he has restricted political expertise to navigate the watertight Ekiti politics, the place cash, curiosity and political desperation play out.
Owoola (54) hails from Ilejemeje Native Authorities in Ekiti North senatorial district, the identical zone with former governor Kayode Fayemi, Chief Segun Oni and a bunch of different APC bigwigs.
He may additionally not have the ability to stand up to the funding required to win an election from the key events.
Moreover, his political celebration lacks a visual construction throughout the state’s 16 native authorities areas.
Nevertheless, Owoola stated, “I’ve been in politics for a really very long time, and I’ve really studied the terrain earlier than I joined the competition.
I do know that Ekiti individuals are not in help of the APC and its candidate within the state.
As soon as individuals are not concerned with a celebration, we’d like any individual who’s formidable from one other celebration.
That’s the reason YPP has chosen me.”
The YPP candidate, who stated his celebration was constructing on its constructions to make it extra formidable forward of the election, added, “If you happen to take a look at the final election, you realise we had unfold throughout the state based mostly on the election outcome.”
David Bankole of SDP.
Bankole emerged as a candidate after two different aspirants, Peter Adesina and Adesola Dada, stepped down in his favour.
His celebration got here second within the 2022 governorship election.
However those that used the SDP’s platform to help political pursuits, like Segun Oni, have since left for the APC.
Nevertheless, SDP State Chairman, Ayodele Bamikole, stated that his celebration was well-equipped and well-prepared for victory.
Bamikole stated, “We’re well-equipped, well-prepared for the election and victory.
That was why we ensured we had a peaceable major election.
And we got here up with fashionable candidates who can problem different political events’ candidates.
So, we’re on the market to win the election.
We’re well-prepared for it.”
Falegan of Accord.
Within the Accord, the place a philanthropist, Opeyemi Falegan, was affirmed because the celebration’s candidate via a consensus association, there’s the persuasion that it’s going to kind the following authorities in Ekiti State.
The celebration doesn’t have the construction to make an election.
Aside from having a state secretariat in Ado Ekiti, it’s uncertain if the celebration has a presence in every other native authorities.
Nevertheless, Falegan, who stated that he was coming with a daring resolution “to liberate Ekiti from the claws of recycled and grasping politicians with insurance policies and programmes centred on transformation and empowerment of Ekiti individuals,” assured that his people-centric agenda would give Accord victory within the ballot.
He promised to offer transformational management, formulate insurance policies that may help a transformative agenda, in addition to democratic norms, value-adding acts and citizen participation.
The Accord candidate lamented that vote-buying in selecting the particular person to manipulate the state had far-reaching damaging penalties, as he suggested that the citizens and celebration members must be discouraged from such acts.
Falegan stated, “Over time, Ekiti State’s political system has witnessed an explosion in using vote-buying, which should be discouraged and stopped earlier than the following governorship election in Ekiti.”
Different candidates, together with APP, AAC, ADP, APM and Labour Occasion, parade candidates with restricted political expertise, as a result of none of them has earlier governorship expertise or the {financial} muscle wanted to make a visual affect.
Sources say that among the candidates are mere placeholders for the ruling celebration.
Subsequently, barring a last-minute change of thoughts, they’re anticipated to withdraw for Governor Oyebanji earlier than the June 20 elections.