By Samuel Sunday
Members and supporters of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) and the Obedient Movement on Saturday staged a protest at the Ekiti State office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Ado-Ekiti over the exclusion of the party’s senatorial candidates from the commission’s final list for the 2027 general elections.
The protesters demanded the immediate reinstatement of Prince Adeyinka Ali for Ekiti North Senatorial District and Dr. Ayokunle Olusegun for Ekiti South Senatorial District.
The demonstrators said both candidates emerged from the NDC primary election held on May 29, 2026, and were earlier recognised by INEC as the party’s legitimate nominees for the two senatorial districts.
They expressed concern that their names were missing from the final list published by the commission, describing the development as unacceptable and a threat to democratic norms.
Speaking on behalf of Dr. Olusegun, Mr. Adediji Segun said the protest was to demand the restoration of the two candidates to INEC’s list.
“We want INEC to integrate their names back into the lists. They are the financiers of the party and one person cannot just wake up one day and be deciding for us. We don’t want that,” he said.
The Ekiti State Coordinator of the Obedient Movement, Mr. Emmanuel Olamidotun, said the group would not accept injustice against any NDC candidate.
He called for the expulsion of Mr. David Adesua, whom he described as a cancer to the NDC, and urged the party leadership to respect the outcome of its primary and avoid actions capable of undermining candidates and supporters ahead of 2027.
Also speaking, the NDC Publicity Secretary in Ekiti State, Mr. Olawale Olatunde, warned that failure to restore the candidates could damage the party’s electoral prospects.
According to him, INEC had earlier confirmed Olusegun and Ali as the party’s candidates for Ekiti South and Ekiti North respectively, making their subsequent omission more disturbing.
“If those names are not returned, the party should prepare for failure in the 2027 general election,” he added.
The protesters urged INEC to urgently review the circumstances surrounding the exclusion and ensure that the names of persons who emerged from the party’s primary are reflected in the final list.
However, no official of the commission addressed the protesters, and the commission was yet to issue a statement on the matter as of the time of filing this report.
