Ekiti: NDC candidate protests omission from INEC final list

By Boye Oyeyemi

The Nigeria Democratic Congress in Ekiti State has been thrown into confusion after its purportedly affirmed candidate for the Ekiti South Senatorial District, Dr. Ayodele Ayokunle Olusegun, was omitted from the Independent National Electoral Commission’s final list for the 2027 elections.

Olusegun has petitioned the party’s National Secretariat, demanding an explanation for the omission and an immediate investigation into what happened to his candidature.

In the petition dated September 13, 2026, and addressed to the NDC National Secretary, the candidate said the party had publicly recognised and unveiled him as its Ekiti South senatorial candidate.

He also claimed that his statutory nomination documents, including Forms EC9 and EC13, were completed and submitted by the state party chairman to the national secretariat for onward transmission to INEC.

Olusegun demanded that the party, within 48 hours, provide evidence showing when his documents were received, who processed them and proof that they were submitted to the electoral commission.

He further asked for records of any upload made on the INEC portal and clarification on whether his candidature had been withdrawn, substituted or altered.

The candidate raised 16 questions in the petition, including whether his name was part of the party’s original submission to INEC and whether another person was submitted in his place.

Olusegun warned that the discrepancy could have legal and electoral implications, saying he reserved the right to seek redress before relevant authorities and the courts if the matter was not resolved.