Ekiti Decides 2026: Meet the 14 Candidates Contesting Ekiti Governorship Seat

After months of intense campaigns, the people of Ekiti State are set to go to the polls on Saturday, June 20, 2026, to elect another leader who will steer the ship of the state for the next four years.

Ekiti, located in the South West geo-political zone, is one of the eight states across the federation that conduct off-cycle elections arising from electoral disputes dating back to the 2007 general elections and court rulings which nullified victories of the People’s Democratic Party’s candidates, altering election schedules and resulting in off-cycle polls every four years.

This off-cycle election serves not only as a localized mandate on governance but also as a litmus test for Nigeria’s broader democratic landscape and logistical readiness ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The election, scheduled by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), features candidates from major and smaller political parties, each promising a different vision for the future of the state regarded as the Fountain of Knowledge.

As part of efforts to ensure a peaceful, free, fair and credible election, the National Peace Committee (NPC), in collaboration with INEC, convened a meeting of various stakeholders on May 20, 2026, in Ado-Ekiti, for the formal signing of a peace accord.

During the peace accord signing, INEC chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, NPC convener, Matthew Hassan Kukah, and other stakeholders, including the Inspector General of Police, Tunji Disu, and heads of other security agencies, called on candidates and political parties involved in the election to uphold peace before, during, and after the election.

Ahead of the election, INEC on Thursday distributed sensitive and non-sensitive election materials to the 16 local government areas in the state.

The Ekiti State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Bunmi Omoseyindemi, who spoke during the distribution exercise, disclosed that over 1.02 million voters have collected their permanent voter cards (PVCs) following the successful conclusion of the PVC collection exercise for the Ekiti State governorship election.

In a statement released on Thursday, INEC noted an increase in the number of registered voters from 987,647 in 2023 to 1,059,360 in 2026.

It also noted an increase in the number of PVCs collected, from 958,052 in 2023, representing a collection rate of 97.0 per cent, to 1,028,929 in 2026, representing 97.1 per cent of registered voters.

Out of 1,059,360 registered voters, 1,028,929 have collected their PVCs. This leaves 30,431 PVCs uncollected.

Observers note that the rate of PVC collection by the residents reflects their enthusiasm in the upcoming electoral exercise, but the true test of it would be gleaned from the actual voter turnout on Saturday when they would make choices among the 14 candidates contesting the governorship election, as contained in the official list released by INEC.

With the incumbent governor, Abiodun Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the race, the election will, according to observers, be a keenly contested one.

Analysts say Oyebanji’s quest for a second term is quite historic. If he succeeds in the election, he may eventually become the first incumbent governor to have two consecutive terms, as none of his predecessors had such an opportunity. While some had their first term truncated, others lost a second term bid and later won it in a comeback years after finishing the first term.

The expansion of the final list of cleared candidates to 14 following the inclusion of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Action Alliance (AA) caused a dramatic shift in the political landscape of the election.

From seasoned technocrats, medical professionals, lawyers, businessmen and veteran diplomats to grassroots mobilizers, here are the candidates vying for the state’s highest office, their party platforms, and their core promises to the people of Ekiti.

Biodun Oyebanji — All Progressives Congress (APC)

The incumbent governor and APC standard-bearer in the election is seeking re-election on the strength of his administration’s achievements and the support of the ruling party’s political structure across the state.

Governor Oyebanji, 59, who hails from Ikogosi-Ekiti, holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science from the Ondo State University (now Ekiti State University) and a Master’s Degree in International Relations & Strategic Studies from the University of Ibadan.

Before venturing into full-time politics, Oyebanji had experience in academics and banking.

A seasoned public administrator who climbed the ladder from Chief of Staff and Secretary to the State Government to the governorship in 2022, Oyebanji’s campaign anchors heavily on continuity, infrastructure stability, and an ambitious agricultural blueprint.

He won his first term in the governorship election of 2022 and took over from his predecessor, Dr Kayode Fayemi. His campaign messages include improving access to primary healthcare, integrating cutting-edge technology into the educational curriculum, and scaling up agri-investments. His headline promise includes engaging over 50,000 youths under the “Bring Back Our Youths to Agriculture” (BBYA) initiative, aiming to generate ₦50 billion in agricultural output by 2030.

Oluwadare Bejide – African Democratic Congress (ADC)

Bejide, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, is a lawyer and businessman who is banking on his political experience and grassroots appeal to challenge the dominance of the larger parties.

The 66-year-old politician has also served as Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Canada and Secretary to the Ekiti State Government. He is also the pioneer secretary of both the PDP and the UNDP in Ekiti.

His campaign has focused on elevating Ekiti into a premier agricultural supply hub for massive commercial networks like Lagos and Abuja, boosting the morale and welfare of the civil service, and reforming public financial management.

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Oluwole Oluyede (PDP)

A medical doctor, businessman and politician, Oluyede, who emerged from the PDP primary as the party’s candidate, is pushing for governance reforms, healthcare improvement, and economic revitalisation.

Prior to joining the PDP, the medical practitioner had previously contested in 2022 under the banner of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

Oyebanji Olajuyin – Labour Party (LP)

Oyebanji Olajuyin, the Labour Party candidate in the Ekiti State 2026 Governorship election, is a medical expert with over three decades of experience. The 67-year-old professor of Medicine from Ikere-Ekiti served as Chief Medical Director of the Ekiti State Specialist Hospital, now Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH).

He is seen by political analysts as a third force among the opposition challenging the incumbent governor in the race.

He has been campaigning on healthcare reforms, education, transparent governance and human capital development.

Opeyemi Falegan -Accord Party

The 41-year-old Opeyemi Falegan is contesting the number position in the state on the platform of the Accord Party.

Falegan, who is reputed for his philanthropic works and community mobilisation, has built deep structural roots through the Opeyemi David Falegan Foundation. His campaign positions him as a compassionate alternative focused on human capital and inclusive social welfare.

He holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Wales, Cardiff.

His campaigns have focused on massive expansion of educational scholarships, modernization of rural public schools, overhaul of welfare packages for state retirees, and fortification of forest guards and community policing to safeguard agrarian communities in the state.

Blessing Abegunde (NNPP)

Blessing Abegunde, who is flying the flag of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in the governorship election, is among the youngest candidates in the race.

The 35-year-old engineer and entrepreneur enters the race with a focus on fundamental institutional overhaul, educational reforms, and breaking down bureaucratic bottlenecks.

His campaigns have focused on improving public school infrastructure, introducing subsidized agricultural inputs for local farmers, and executing major structural administrative reforms within state ministries.

Akande Oluwasegun — African Action Congress (AAC)

Akande Oluwasegun, a 36-year-old candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the governorship election, has focused his campaign on increasing youth participation, empowerment and economic liberation for marginalized populations.

Oluwasegun, who is regarded as a progressive activist, is also pushing for free quality education at primary and secondary levels, holding local councils accountable, and eliminating exploitative double taxation on small-scale traders and local entrepreneurs.

Ayodeji Ojo — Action Democratic Party (ADP)

Ayodeji Ojo, who is contesting on the platform of the Action Democratic Party(ADP), directs his campaigns towards civil service reforms for efficiency, expanding soft credit facilities for MSMEs, improving social services and establishing tech hubs across senatorial districts in the state.

Bidemi Awogbemi — Action People’s Party (APP)

 

Awogbemi, who holds a Master’s in Electrical Engineering from the University of Bridgeport, is one of the young candidates in the Ekiti 2026 governorship race. He is seeking innovative public management, youth-oriented leadership, and the deployment of green solutions for the development of rural communities.

In his campaigns, Awogbemi has emphasised investing in solar grids for rural medical centers, boosting vocational tech training centers, and revising state-backed agricultural loan frameworks.

Olaniyi Ayodele (PRP)

The 49-year-old Ayodele, who is seeking to be the governor of the state through the platform of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), is a businessman and Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of WITPARK Homes Ltd, a real estate development company.

He had served as the Ekiti State Coordinator of the Nigerian Association of Agricultural Produce Dealers, where he worked closely with local farmers and traders.

Ayodele’s campaigns have focused on implementing guaranteed price controls for essential cash and food crops, direct state investment in affordable mass housing blocks, and robust protections for public-sector labor unions.

Osinkolu Ayodele — Young Progressive Party (YPP)

Osinkolu Ayodele, who is officially on the INEC list as the candidate of the YPP for the election, has, however, reportedly withdrawn from the governorship race and defected to the PDP, where he has secured the ticket for the Ekiti North Senatorial District for the 2027 general elections.

Victor Adetunji — Zenith Labour Party (ZLP)

Victor Adetunji, the governorship candidate of Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), focuses his campaign on the need to address social equity, arguing that the true wealth of Ekiti lies within its highly educated but severely underemployed human capital base.

Olu Omotoso (Action Alliance)

Olu Omotoso, who is contesting on the platform of Action Alliance (AA), is an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) expert.

Omotoso, who is an indigene of Ayede Ekiti, also contested the governorship election on the party platform in 2022. He had served as the state secretary of the AA in Oyo State and acted as National Secretary of the party.