INEC Reveals Why PDP Will Not Participate In Osun Governorship Election

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has explained why the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will not participate in Saturday’s Osun State governorship election.

The electoral body said that despite a recent Court of Appeal judgment directing the inclusion of a PDP candidate on the ballot, the party would not be participating in the election.

The Court of Appeal had on Thursday ordered INEC to include the candidate backed by the Tanimu Turaki-led faction of the PDP in the governorship race.

However, INEC said it had appealed the judgment and also filed an application for a stay of execution.

According to The Nation, INEC Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to the Chairman, Adedayo Oketola, explained that the commission’s electoral guidelines recognise only the leadership of a political party officially recognised by INEC and captured in its database as having the authority to nominate candidates.

Oketola said the commission does not recognise the Turaki-led faction of the PDP and, consequently, did not accept the candidate it nominated for the Osun governorship election.

He further stated that neither of the two rival PDP factions currently has a candidate participating in the election.

Oketola said the Court of Appeal judgment had not altered INEC’s preparations for the poll, adding that the commission had already taken the necessary legal steps to challenge the ruling.

He explained that INEC would continue with the election as scheduled while pursuing the matter through the appropriate judicial channels.

According to him, there would be no postponement or disruption to the election, with logistics and security arrangements already in place across the state.

INEC also confirmed that voting would commence at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, August 15, 2026, as scheduled.