The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has approved 14 political parties to field candidates in Osun State’s upcoming governorship election, scheduled for August 8. The commission’s announcement confirms that the major opposition parties, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP), did not meet the necessary requirements for participation.
INEC’s state spokesperson, Musa Olurode, issued a statement in Osogbo detailing the final list of parties cleared following the conclusion of primaries and the deadline for submitting candidate particulars. “Fourteen political parties successfully complied with the Commission’s requirements within the stipulated timeframe,” the statement read. It specified that compliance required the successful completion of internal primaries and the timely upload of names and details of candidates and their running mates.
The parties authorized to contest include the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), as well as Accord (A), Action Alliance (AA), African Action Congress (AAC), African Democratic Congress (ADC), Action Democratic Party (ADP), and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). Others are Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Action Peoples Party (APP), Boot Party (BP), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Young Progressive Party (YPP), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
In line with Section 29(3) of the Electoral Act 2022, INEC has also published the personal particulars of all cleared candidates and their running mates on Form EC9. These documents will be physically displayed for public inspection at the INEC State Office, all 30 Local Government Area offices, and the Commission’s Area Office in Osun from Monday, February 16. INEC urged political parties, candidates, and the public to review the published documents as part of the statutory transparency measures.
State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mutiu Agboke, reinforced the commission’s commitment to a transparent and professional electoral process. He called for sustained cooperation from all stakeholders and the public to ensure a peaceful and credible governorship poll.
The clearance list finalizes the field of contestants for the August 8 election, setting the stage for the campaign period. The exclusion of the PDP and LP means they will not feature on the ballot, a significant development in a state considered a key political battleground. INEC’s next steps involve deploying materials and personnel for the election, with the published candidate lists serving as the official register for the poll.
