The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission of bias following the exclusion of its governorship candidate from the list of contestants for the 2026 election in Ekiti State.
In a statement on Monday by its spokesman, Ini Ememobong, the party said the omission of the name and particulars of its candidate was further confirmation of what it described as the commission’s “biased disposition” towards the affairs of the PDP.
The party said INEC was duly notified of its governorship primaries, attended and monitored the exercise, and later issued reports confirming that the process complied with extant laws and was democratically conducted.
According to the PDP, INEC subsequently released nomination portal codes to the party for the completion of nomination forms before “disingenuously” blocking the code days to the submission deadline.
The party said it was forced to resort to manual submission of its nomination documents at INEC’s office, adding that receipt of the documents was acknowledged by the commission.
The PDP said INEC ought to have acted with caution by including the name of Oluwole Oluyede, whom it described as its duly nominated candidate.
The party said there was no contrary submission before INEC challenging the validity of Oluyede’s nomination and no court order restraining the commission from recognising him as its candidate.
It added that INEC’s own monitoring report attested to the validity of the primaries and the nomination process.
The PDP said it has taken steps to approach the court to compel INEC to include its candidate in the list for the election.
“Having failed to act appropriately, our party has immediately taken steps to approach the courts to compel INEC to do what it ought to have done in the first place.
“While we undertake this long and tortuous legal route, we once again draw the attention of INEC to the expectations of Nigerians that the Commission must remain independent, impartial, and neutral in matters relating to political parties and the electoral process.
“While we acknowledge the saying that he who pays the piper dictates the tune, the Commission must be conscious that the tune currently being dictated is dangerously high-pitched and will ultimately harm the piper. INEC must always act in defence of democracy, and never in antagonism to it,” the party declaared.
