June 23, 2026 – Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Saturday's Ekiti State election, Dr. Wole Oluyede, has rejected the outcome of the polls, describing the process as "deeply flawed."
In a statement released by his campaign organisation, Oluyede said he "unequivocally rejects" the results announced by INEC, alleging widespread vote-buying, voter intimidation and harassment of opposition supporters.
"The election process was deeply flawed and fell far short of the standards of credibility, transparency, fairness and integrity expected in a democratic society," the statement read.
Oluyede's campaign listed several grievances, including:
Widespread vote-buying across multiple polling units, with voters reportedly offered money and food items in exchange for their votes
- Intimidation of opposition supporters and observers by security personnel and political thugs
- Harassment of PDP agents at collation centres, with some reportedly prevented from accessing the centres
- Manipulation of results in favour of the APC at the collation stage
The PDP candidate called on INEC to investigate the allegations and ensure that those responsible are held accountable. He also called on the Nigerian people to remain vigilant and defend their votes.
INEC has defended the conduct of the election, stating that the process was transparent and credible. The commission said it received complaints from various parties but noted that the allegations were not substantiated with concrete evidence.
INEC National Commissioner for Information, Festus Okoye, said: "We have reviewed the conduct of the Ekiti governorship election and are satisfied that it met the standards of credibility and transparency. While we acknowledge that there were isolated incidents of irregularities, these did not affect the overall outcome of the election."
Oluyede has not yet indicated whether he will challenge the election result in court. However, his rejection of the outcome signals that the PDP is not willing to accept defeat quietly. The party may seek legal redress if it believes the election was marred by irregularities.
The PDP has called on its supporters to remain calm and law-abiding while the party explores all available legal options to challenge the result.
The rejection of the Ekiti election result by the PDP candidate raises questions about the credibility of Nigeria's electoral process. Allegations of vote-buying and irregularities are not new, but they undermine public confidence in the democratic system.
If the PDP decides to challenge the result in court, it could set a precedent for future elections. The outcome of any legal challenge will be closely watched by politicians and voters across Nigeria.
More on Politics