The Nigeria Democratic Party (NDC) has protested at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office in Ekiti State over the exclusion of two of its senatorial candidates from the commission’s final list for the 2027 general elections.
The protesters, comprising NDC members, supporters and members of the Obedient Movement, demanded the immediate restoration of the names of Prince Adeyinka Ali, the party’s candidate for Ekiti North Senatorial District, and Ayokunle Olusegun, who is contesting for Ekiti South.
According to the protesters, Ali and Olusegun emerged from the NDC’s senatorial primary held on May 29, 2026, and had previously been recognised by INEC as the party’s candidates for the two districts.
They expressed concern that the candidates’ names were later omitted from INEC’s final list, describing the development as unacceptable and harmful to the democratic process.
Speaking on behalf of Olusegun, Adediji Segun said the protesters were at the commission’s office to demand that both candidates be restored to the list.
He questioned the reason for their exclusion, saying the candidates had invested heavily in the party.
The leader of the Obedient Movement in Ekiti State, Emmanuel Olamidotun, also demanded the removal of David Adesua from the NDC, alleging that his actions had contributed to the controversy.
Olamidotun urged the NDC leadership to respect the outcome of its primary election and avoid decisions that could undermine the interests of the candidates and their supporters ahead of the 2027 elections.
The NDC Publicity Secretary in Ekiti State, Olawale Olatunde, warned that failure to restore the candidates could affect the party’s electoral prospects.
He also linked the dispute to the party’s wider chances in the 2027 general elections, saying, “If those names are not returned, Obi should prepare for failure come 2027 general.”
The protesters called on INEC to review the circumstances surrounding the exclusion and ensure that the candidates who emerged from the party’s primary are reflected in the final list.
However, no INEC official received the protesters, and the commission had not issued an official statement addressing the matter at the time of the report.
