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The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Wole Oluyede and his running mate were clearly ommitted from the final list of candidates released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the June 20 governorship election in Ekiti State.
The list which was released on Monday, showed that the Young Peoples Party (YPP) replaced its candidate and the running mate.
The YPP replaced its candidate and running mate, Owoola Daramola and the running mate, Opeyemi Adeyemo, with Osinkolu Ayodele and Arowolo Olusesan respectively.
Mr Oluyede’s name was missing when INEC released the provisional list of the candidates and their deputies in December, citing various courts judgements on the party’s national leadership crisis.
A check at the INEC state headquarters in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital on Monday, showed that apart from the PDP candidates, names of the SDP candidate, David Bankole and his running mate were also missing.
According to sources in INEC, who requested not to be named because they were not authorised to speak, the ongoing national crisis in the PDP which has resulted in two factions laying claim to the leadership of the party, with a series of litigations filed at the courts, was responsible for the omission.
Meanwhile, Mr Oluyede has insisted that he would participate in the election, saying that court would vindicate his candidacy.
In a statement by his spokesperson on Monday, Mr Oluyede said since judiciary is the last hope of common man, and that he had approached the Federal High Court, Abuja seeking for an order of mandamus to compel INEC to publish his name.
“The case comes up in Abuja this week and we believe as a party that the court will compel INEC to publish the name of Dr Wole Oluyede as the dully elected candidate of the PDP.
“The court has compelling power over INEC which Ekiti State will not be the first to experience this.
“With these developments, we are assuring members of the PDP and Ekiti people to remain calm and continue to be abreast of the situation as we expect favourable judgements,” the statement said.
See below the final list of candidates and running mates released by INEC
Accord Party – Opeyemi Falegan (41) Omoyemi Olaleye (42).
African Action Congress ( AAC) – Akande Oluwasegun(36)
Oluwasanmi Fajuyigbe
Action Democratic Party (ADP) – Ayodeji Ojo (42)
Itunu Ibitoye (35)
African Democratic Congress (ADC) – Oluwadare Bejide (66)
Paul Olowoyeye(52).
All Progressives Congress (APC) – Biodun Oyebanji (58) Monisade Afuye (67),
Action People’s Party (APP) – Bidemi Awogbemi(36) Akinyemi Adewumi (53)
Allied People’s Movement (APM) – Joseph Anifowose (65) Margaret Ilesanmi (68)
Labour Party (LP) Oyebanji Olajuyin (67)
Ayokunle Okumade (45).
New Nigeria People Party (NNPP) – Blessing Abegunde (35) Francis Ajayi (65)
People’s Redemption Party (PRP) – Olaniyi Ayodele (49) Modupe Adebiyi(35)
Young Progressive Party – (YPP)
Osinkolu Olusegun Ayodele
Arowolo David Olusesan
Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) – Victor Adetunji (38) Adesina Oyeniyi (35).
