By Ogungbayi Adeyemi S. | adeyemi@ddnewsonline.com
Editor, DDNews |
DDNewsOnline – Lagos, August 12, 2026
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has cleared Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate Francis Ajala and his running mate, Faseke Oladipo, to contest the Osun State governorship election after a court ordered their inclusion on the ballot.
INEC said it acted in compliance with a judgment delivered by the Federal High Court in Abuja on July 22, 2026.
The ruling came from Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/344/2026, a case in which the SDP and Ajala were the plaintiffs and INEC was the defendant.
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The commission said the court’s directive left it no choice but to restore the SDP ticket to the list of candidates cleared for the election.
Prior to the judgment, Ajala and his running mate had not featured on the ballot, a situation that prompted the party to seek legal redress in Abuja.
The Federal High Court’s decision effectively overturned whatever administrative or procedural grounds INEC had used to exclude the candidates, compelling the commission to reinstate them ahead of the Osun governorship poll.
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With Ajala and Oladipo now formally on the ballot, the SDP will compete alongside other parties in the Osun State governorship election, adding another contender to what was already a contested race in the state.
By Ogungbayi Adeyemi S. (Beedee)
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