As Ekiti heads for the July 2026 governorship election, the growing list of candidates contrasts sharply with the shrinking space for real competition. With the incumbent APC governor towering over 12 fragmented challengers, the race is increasingly seen as a mere formality, AYODELE AFOLABI reports.

No fewer than 12 political parties and their flag bearers have been cleared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to partake in the July 20, 2026, governorship election. The umpire displayed the candidates’ names in line with its guidelines, but left out the name of the major opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate.

Also, INEC, in line with its guidelines and the Electoral Act, published the personal particulars of the candidates on December 29, 2025, while the political parties’ opportunity to withdraw candidates and replace such lapsed on January 12, 2026, after which it published the final list of nominated candidates of the participating political parties today (Monday).

The parties and their candidates included the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and incumbent governor, Biodun Oyebanji; PDP’s Wole Oluyede (omitted); African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dare Bejide; Young Progressives Party (YPP), Daramola Owoola; Social Democratic Party (SDP), David Bankole; New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Blessing Abegunde; Accord, Opeyemi Falegan; and Labour Party (LP), Prof. Oyebanji Olajuyin.

Others are Action People’s Party (APP), Bidemi Awogbemi; People’s Redemption Party (PRP), Olaniyi Ayodele; Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), Victor Adetunji; and African Action Congress (AAC), Akande Oluwasegun.

Unlike in the past, when governorship elections in the Land of Honour and Integrity were always charged and rigorously contested, the atmosphere this time is more than calm and serene, with indications that there may be little or no contest. The infighting in the major opposition PDP has severely weakened the party, while the coalition ADC appears to be lacking the political strength to challenge the ruling APC.

Observers in the state believe that other participating platforms are merely in the race to fill the numbers.

Unlike the past three gubernatorial polls in the state, where former governor Segun Oni in the 2022 race contested on the SDP platform but gave the incumbent, Oyebanji, a serious challenge. Also, in 2018, former governor Kayode Fayemi of the APC defeated the candidate of the then ruling PDP, just as he (Fayemi) was also defeated as incumbent by erstwhile governor Ayodele Fayose of the PDP in 2014.

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 only opposition rearing its head for now is perhaps within the ruling party, in the person of Kayode Ojo, who was barred by the APC’s national leadership from participating in the party’s primaries with Oyebanji.

Oyebanji of APC
Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, is a former university teacher and well-rounded politician. He emerged as an APC candidate through a consensus process following the second aspirant, Mrs Atinuke Omolayo’s withdrawal from the race and support for him. Earlier, of the four persons that obtained APC nomination forms, the party cleared two — Oyebanji and Omolayo — for the primary and disqualified Kayode Ojo and Olajumoke Abimbola.

Before the primaries, it must be noted that over 300 groups and bodies from within and outside the APC endorsed Oyebanji for a second term, citing his performance and achievements in office in different sectors of the state economy.

His strengths include being an incumbent governor with strong grassroots support, his scorecard, which includes infrastructure development and healthcare achievements, and an agricultural revolution. Besides, all the non-partisan Ekiti elites, including the legal icon, Aare Afe Babalola, the senior lawyer, Wole Olanipekun, among others, are rooting for his second term. Also, some major PDP stakeholders, including the group led by Fayose, the Osoko Political Assembly and those belonging to the former minority leader in the Senate, Chief Biodun Olujimi, are backing the governor.

Oyebanji is from Ekiti Central senatorial district, where the influence of the incumbent Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, looms large. With Bamidele’s support in the zone, the governor may be rest assured of victory.

Besides, the entire local government structure is being galvanised to support him. Also, the state executive council, the National Assembly, as well as the state legislators are backing him.

What was more, the deputy governorship candidate, Mrs Monisade Afuye, is from Ikere Ekiti in the Ekiti South senatorial district. She is a princess of the Ikere kingdom, which is the most populous community after the state capital, Ado.

Many federal appointees, including the Chairman/CEO of the Federal Housing Authority, Oyetunde Ojo, the Chairman of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Dayo Adeyeye, and other appointees of President Bola Tinubu, are also working for his re-election. State and local government workers, as well as those in the informal sector, including members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), support the governor.

Some observers, however, have e xpressed concern that, with Oyebanji’s victory on July 20, 2026, he may succumb to the whims and caprices of the present godfathers over the next four years rather than focusing on policies that benefit the majority of Ekiti citizens.

Dismissing such concerns, APC State spokesperson, Segun Dipe, said all the stakeholders currently backing Oyebanji are progressives in nature and character, whereas the likes of Chief Afe Babalola and Olanipekun and other elder statesmen are of impeccable character, who have contributed their quota and are ready to do more for the development of the state.

He said: “We are the party to beat and our candidate is the candidate. He is not only the candidate, but the one who will certainly win the election. It is known to the deaf and known to the blind.

“Everybody in this state knows that APC will win and the candidate, who is the incumbent, will be in that seat until 2030, when he will hand over to another candidate from our party.”

PDP’s Oluyede
The PDP elected a medical expert, Wole Oluyede, as its candidate. He is a dogged politician who, in 2018, contested for the APC ticket but ended up flying the ADC flag in 2022. His strength lies in his roots in Ikere Ekiti, the second most populous town after Ado Ekiti.

The community and Ekiti South have been yearning for the governorship, which has remained elusive to the zone. After the APC candidate, Oluyede, is considered formidable because of his heavy war chest. The Australia-based medical doctor would rely heavily on the PDP structures across all 16 local governments.

Although Oluyede believes the PDP has what it takes to defeat the ruling APC, his chances depend on whether INEC eventually lists his name on the contestants’ list.

The lingering national crises affecting the PDP stand as a big minus for him, even if his name is eventually listed by INEC.

At present, Oluyede’s candidacy is facing two legal landmines. A Federal High Court sitting in Ado Ekiti has just nullified his primary and ordered a rerun. Besides, the suit challenging the convention of the faction that nominated him is currently pending at the Court of Appeal. Furthermore, many bigwigs and chieftains of the party are decamping to the ADC. This is even as former Governor Fayose has not minced words in declaring his support for the APC candidate.

Oluwadare Bejide of ADC
Ambassador Oluwadare Bejide is a former Nigerian High Commissioner to Canada, former Secretary to the Ekiti State Government and pioneer PDP state scribe. He won the ADC ticket after defeating four other aspirants.

Though new to the governorship contest, Bejide, from Ekiti West Local Government in Ekiti South senatorial zone, could tap into the Ekiti South marginalisation sentiment to win votes.

He could also be a beneficiary of the crisis in the PDP if Oluyede is eventually barred from contesting, given that he is a decampee from the PDP himself. Many believe that members of the PDP and other undecided voters could vote for him rather than pitch their tent with other parties.

He may face the challenge of having limited governorship experience. The political platform or vehicle on which the candidate is seeking validation lacks a grassroots structure in Ekiti. Besides, he will rely on financial support from ADC’s major stakeholders, including 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 does not have the financial war chest to compete with the incumbent governor, who has state resources at his disposal. Besides, the primary election he won was very acrimonious and controversial, and he has proffered fence-mending and reconciliation if he hopes to make any impact on July 20.

Bejide, however, is confident that the people of Ekiti are looking for someone who will solve their problems, which is why, to him, the ADC remains relevant. “We are going to win, we are going to run a good campaign in Ekiti State, and we are going to win,” he told The Guardian.

Owoola of YPP
The YPP candidate, Daramola Owoola, is not new to Ekiti politics; he was the Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council in the state. He is banking on his youthful strength, which he plans to use to appeal to youths across Ekiti come July.

But observers said he has limited political experience to navigate the watertight Ekiti politics, where money, interest and political desperation play out. Owoola (54) hails from Ilejemeje Local Government in Ekiti North senatorial district, the same zone with former governor Kayode Fayemi, Chief Segun Oni and a host of other APC bigwigs. He may also not be able to withstand the funding required to win an election from the major parties. Besides, his political party lacks a visible structure across the state’s 16 local government areas.

However, Owoola said, “I have been in politics for a very long time, and I have actually studied the terrain before I joined the contest. I know that Ekiti people are not in support of the APC and its candidate in the state. Once people are no longer interested in a party, we need somebody who is formidable from another party. That is why YPP has chosen me.”

The YPP candidate, who said his party was building on its structures to make it more formidable ahead of the election, added, “If you look at the last election, you realise we had spread across the state based on the election result.”

David Bankole of SDP
Bankole emerged as a candidate after two other aspirants, Peter Adesina and Adesola Dada, stepped down in his favour. His party came second in the 2022 governorship election. But those who used the SDP’s platform to support political interests, like Segun Oni, have since left for the APC.

However, SDP State Chairman, Ayodele Bamikole, said that his party was well-equipped and well-prepared for victory. Bamikole said, “We are well-equipped, well-prepared for the election and victory. That was why we ensured we had a peaceful primary election. And we came up with popular candidates who can challenge other political parties’ candidates. So, we are out there to win the election. We are well-prepared for it.”

Falegan of Accord
In the Accord, where a philanthropist, Opeyemi Falegan, was affirmed as the party’s candidate through a consensus arrangement, there is the persuasion that it will form the next government in Ekiti State. The party does not have the structure to make an election. Apart from having a state secretariat in Ado Ekiti, it is doubtful if the party has a presence in any other local government.

However, Falegan, who said that he was coming with a bold decision “to liberate Ekiti from the claws of recycled and greedy politicians with policies and programmes centred on transformation and empowerment of Ekiti people,” assured that his people-centric agenda would give Accord victory in the poll.

He promised to provide transformational leadership, formulate policies that would support a transformative agenda, as well as democratic norms, value-adding acts and citizen participation.
The Accord candidate lamented that vote-buying in choosing the person to govern the state had far-reaching negative consequences, as he advised that the electorate and party members should be discouraged from such acts.

Falegan said: “Over time, Ekiti State’s political system has witnessed an explosion in the use of vote-buying, which must be discouraged and stopped before the next governorship election in Ekiti.”

Other candidates, including APP, AAC, ADP, APM and Labour Party, parade candidates with limited political experience, because none of them has previous governorship experience or the financial muscle needed to make a visible impact. Sources say that some of the candidates are mere placeholders for the ruling party. Therefore, barring a last-minute change of mind, they are expected to withdraw for Governor Oyebanji before the June 20 elections.