Candidates of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party were notably absent from the list of contestants cleared for the August 8 governorship election in Osun State.
The list, released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Saturday and signed by Musa Olurode, the commission’s Public Relations Officer in Osun, featured 14 political parties.
The release read in part: “Following the conclusion of political party primaries and the close of the period for the upload of names and particulars of candidates and their running mates for the Osun State Governorship Election, fourteen (14) political parties have successfully complied with the requirements of the commission within the stipulated time frame.
“The political parties that validly uploaded the names and particulars of their candidates and their running mates as released by the Headquarters of the Commission, Abuja, are: A, AA, AAC, ADC, ADP, APGA, APC, APM, APP, BP, NNPP, PRP, YPP, and ZLP.
“In accordance with Section 29(3) of the Electoral Act 2022 and as provided in item 4 of the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the Osun State Governorship Election, the Commission has published the personal particulars of candidates and those of their running mates (Form EC9).
“Copies of each candidate’s Form EC9, together with all accompanying academic credentials and other documents submitted, will be displayed at the INEC State Office and in all the thirty (30) Local Government Area Offices and the Area Office of the Commission in Osun State on Monday, 16th February, 2026”.
The Commission reassures the electorate and all stakeholders of its firm commitment to transparency, professionalism, and the conduct of credible elections in accordance with the law and best democratic practices.
They include Accord (A), Action Alliance (AA), African Action Congress (AAC), African Democratic Congress (ADC), 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).