Members and supporters of the Nigeria Democratic Party, NDC, have staged a protest at the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, office in Ekiti State, demanding the reinstatement of two senatorial candidates omitted from the commission’s final list for the 2027 general elections.
The protesters, joined by members of the Obedient Movement, called for the immediate restoration of Prince Adeyinka Ali and Ayokunle Olusegun as the NDC candidates for Ekiti North and Ekiti South Senatorial Districts respectively.
According to the protesters, both candidates emerged from the NDC senatorial primaries held on May 29, 2026, and were initially recognised by INEC as the party’s candidates for the two districts.
They, however, raised concerns over their subsequent omission from the final list published by the electoral commission.
Speaking on behalf of Olusegun, Adediji Segun said the protest was aimed at seeking clarification from INEC and demanding the reinstatement of the affected candidates.
He questioned the circumstances surrounding their exclusion, stressing that the candidates had made significant commitments to the party and should have their names reflected on the final list.
The Ekiti State leader of the Obedient Movement, Emmanuel Olamidotun, also urged the NDC leadership to uphold the outcome of its primary election.
Olamidotun alleged that the controversy was linked to David Adesua and called for his removal from the party. He accused him of undermining the party’s internal process.
The NDC Publicity Secretary in Ekiti State, Olawale Olatunde, warned that failure to resolve the dispute and restore the candidates could have consequences for the party’s performance in the 2027 elections.
The protesters subsequently appealed to INEC to review the circumstances surrounding the omission and ensure that the candidates who emerged from the party’s primary are duly reflected in the final list.
No INEC official received the protesters at the time of the demonstration, and the electoral commission has yet to publicly comment on the matter.
