Osun 2026: INEC Clears 14 Parties for Governorship Race, PDP, and LP Missing

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released the final list of candidates for the 2026 Osun State governorship election, with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP) conspicuously missing from the list.

According to the electoral body, the list contains candidates and their running mates from 14 political parties cleared to contest the election scheduled for August 8, 2026.

INEC disclosed that the final list was published in line with its timetable and schedule of activities for the election. The commission explained that only political parties that successfully conducted their primaries and uploaded the details of their candidates and running mates within the stipulated deadline were included in the final list.

The parties cleared for the poll include Accord (A), Action Alliance (AA), African Action Congress (AAC), African Democratic Congress (ADC), Action Democratic Party (ADP), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), All Progressives Congress (APC), 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).

INEC’s Public Relations Officer in Osun State, Musa Olurode, stated that the publication of the final list marks a critical step in preparations for the governorship poll, adding that the commission remains committed to conducting a credible election.

The absence of the PDP and LP, two parties that participated in previous elections in the state, has sparked discussions in political circles about the internal processes within the parties and their preparedness for the upcoming contest.

The Osun governorship election is expected to be closely contested among the participating parties as political activities intensify ahead of the August poll.