Osun guber poll: INEC clears 14 political parties, PDP, LP missing

INEC chairman Joash Amupitan

By Dayo Johnson

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has released the final list of candidates for the August 8, 2026 governorship election in Osun State, with the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and Labour Party, LP, absent from the list.

A statement issued yesterday, by Musa Olurode, INEC Public Relations Officer, PRO, Osun state, said candidates from 14 political parties were cleared to participate in the election.

The parties include; Accord, A, Action Alliance, AA, African Action Congress, AAC, African Democratic Congress, AD, Action Democratic Party, ADP, All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, All Progressives Congress, APC, Allied Peoples Movement, APM, Action Peoples Party, APP, Boot Party, BP, New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, Peoples Redemption Party, PRP, Young Progressive Party, YPP, and Zenith Labour Party, ZLP.

“The publication of the final list is in line with the timetable and schedule of activities released by the commission ahead of the poll, ‘ Olurode said.
According to him, only 14 parties successfully completed their primaries and uploaded the names and particulars of their candidates, including running mates within the stipulated deadline.

Ondo APC
Meanwhile, a political pressure group within the APC in Ondo State, the Ondo APC Arise Movement, has questioned the appropriateness of Federal High court order on the party’s congress in the state, insisting that internal party matters are largely beyond the jurisdiction of the courts under the Electoral Act 2026.
The Chairman of the group, Yemi Adetoyinbo and the Secretary, Odele Olatubosun, in a statement issued in Akure, said that all political actors must operate within the ambit of the law and respect statutory provisions guiding party affairs.
They cited Section 83(5) of the Electoral Act, which it said provides that “no court in Nigeria shall entertain jurisdiction over any suit or matter pertaining to the internal affairs of a political party,” except in circumstances outlined in the law.
Raising concerns over the implications of the court order, the group asked what it described as a “fundamental question” about the motive behind the legal action and queried that “Who wants to destabilise the APC in Ondo State and for what end?”, the group asked.
It however, maintained that party stakeholders would continue to defend the unity and legal integrity of the party’s processes, “we the silent majority of party members shall arise.”