The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has published the final list of candidates for the 8 August 2026 Osun State governorship election, with no representation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) or the Labour Party (LP).
A statement issued on Friday by Musa Olurode, INEC’s Public Relations Officer in Osun State, confirmed that candidates from 14 political parties have been cleared to contest the poll.
The political parties whose candidates will appear on the ballot paper 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).
INEC said the publication of the final list is in accordance with the Timetable and Schedule of Activities released ahead of the election, confirming that only the 14 parties successfully completed their primaries and uploaded the names and particulars of their governorship candidates and running mates within the stipulated deadline.
The absence of the PDP and the LP from the list has drawn significant attention, given both parties’ traditional roles as major players in Osun State politics. Analysts suggest the development could reshape the electoral contest, potentially broadening opportunities for smaller parties and altering voters’ strategic calculations.
In a related development regarding the final list of candidates, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, named Benjamin Adereti, his former House of Representatives candidate for the Ife Federal Constituency, as his running mate. Adereti replaces Tunde Olatunji, whose name had appeared earlier.
Also included in INEC’s list is Najeem Salaam of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), who has chosen Yemisi Agiri as his deputy governorship running mate, making her one of the few female deputy candidates in the race.
Incumbent Osun Governor Ademola Adeleke will contest the election on the platform of the Accord Party, having retained his current deputy, Kola Adewusi, as his running mate.
Olurode said the publication of candidates’ details allows political parties, candidates and the public to intensify preparations for the election and inspect nominees’ credentials at designated INEC offices, as required by law.
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