NEWS ANALYSIS! Ekiti June 20th Governorship Election: Why Is PDP, ADC, Accord Party Others Not Campaigning Like APC?

By Editorial Team

No doubt, the current atmosphere in Ekiti State has revealed that the main opposition political parties like the PDP, ADC, LP, PRP, SDP, NNPP, Accord Party, and several others have all refused to start any meaningful campaigns, despite the fact that the June 20th, 2026 governorship election in the State is getting closer and closer by the day. 

Exactly 39 days to the June 20th, 2026 governorship election in Ekiti State, there has been no traces or record of any campaign, mobilisation, canvassing, sensitizations from house to house, street to street or ward to ward influence of the voters by the opposition political parties that are already on the ballot for the election. 

It seems the opposition political parties in Ekiti State are already jittery of defeat by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State due to the incumbency advantage of Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji as a result of a well-funded, unified structure that he is enjoying and that it has wielded since the governorship electioneering campaigns started in the State. 

Mainly, it is believed that the opposition parties are dealing with their internal crises, late starts, and so many uncertainties about their candidacies for the governorship election. 

The many challenges of the opposition in Ekiti State has definitely created 

a serious lopsided campaign atmosphere currently being seeing ahead of the June 20, 2026 Ekiti governorship election.  

One of the factors responsible for the current campaign situations favouring the Ekiti APC is the Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji’s incumbency advantage plus early start strategy.

From the records in the public space, Governor Biodun Oyebanji who is seeking re-election started the touring of the 16 local government areas on Monday, May 4th, 2026, which was last week, by holding rallies across the State. 

Aside the above Ekiti APC campaign activities, a faction of the People’s Democratic Party led by their former Chairman in Irepodun/Ifelodun, Hon. Ademola Alade, defected with his  supporters into the APC, citing Oyebanji’s “developmental strides” like new hospitals among others as a stepping stone. 

As a result of the Governor; Senator Ayo Arise; an APC Chieftain in Ekiti State, recently revealed that, “the people of Ekiti State are solidly behind the State Governor, asides the full support he enjoys from his colleague Governor’s as well as the majority members of the National Assembly in Abuja. 

“With the state resources, 32 APC governors nationally, and a fractured opposition; the APC under the administration of the INEC REC has gained momentum and visibility.    

Findings has also revealed that the Candidacy of the opposition figures in Ekiti State is presently in limbo.

Announcing his arrival, Dr Oluwole Oluyede reminded how he defeated Funso Ayeni on the 8th of November, 2025 at the party’s primary election to clinch the PDP’s gubernatorial’s ticket for the Ekiti Governorship Election. 

It was also reminded how the INEC excluded PDP from the provisional candidates list released by the INEC on the 29th December, 2025. 

According to the INEC at the time, it adduced the reason to some unresolved court cases regarding the party’s leadership tussle, which caused the PDP to split into factions with one aligning  with Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State on one hand, and to former Governor Nyesom Wike on the other hand, describing the legal tussle meant for INEC as one with valid nomination documents. 

Despite that the Ekiti PDP candidate, Dr Wole Oluyede got the Court’s nod to have his name included in the June 20th ballot, the PDP leaders are still entrenched in so many battles, raising different alarms and questions over alleged plot to upturn Oluyede’s primary outcome, thereby making it difficult for them settling down for any meaningful campaigns. 

Till this moment, the PDP can’t kick off any effective campaign because of several doubts in the minds of the leaders of the party. 

The ADC, LP, PRP, Accord Party and other political parties have remained  underfunded and fragmented.

Despite that the ADC already has a candidate on the ballot, in person of Barrister Oluwadare Bejide, a sixty – six (66 years old) former Nigerian Ambassador, on the grounds that the ADC is in coalition talks with some of the current political parties like the PDP, some sections of the APC, SDP, and LP, and thereby helping the ADC to rescue Nigerians from poverty”. They say they’ll field a candidate and win, but there’s little evidence of statewide rallies yet.

Oyebanji Olajuyin is the LP candidate, and LP joins NNPP, PRP, YPP, ZLP, and several others on INEC’s provisional list. 

The problem for the above political parties is size. Most don’t have the financial muscle or political structure that Governor Oyebanji of the APC brings to the table. That gap has shaped how people view the race. 

Several commentaries are now framing the election as a “coronation” rather than a contest, with the argument that opposition parties in Ekiti didn’t lay the foundation, so they can’t expect to win at this point. Because that perception has taken hold, challengers are finding it tough to attract donor money or energize grassroots support.

APC is also benefiting from clear structural advantages. Incumbency gives Oyebanji projects to showcase — things like the new maternity centre and general hospital that voters can see. 

Opponents don’t have that kind of visibility to counter with. The political tide is running one way, too. 

Major opposition figures are defecting to the APC, while no one seems to be leaving. 

Even though INEC accredited 98 observer groups, there isn’t much of a competitive race for them to monitor. 

Governor Oyebanji has further shaped the narrative by calling for peaceful, issue-based campaigns and insisting his ambition “is not worth the blood of any Ekiti man,” which casts him as the responsible statesman while his rivals are bogged down in legal battles.

It’s not that PDP, ADC, LP, and PRP are unwilling to campaign. The other political parties on the ballot are struggling with limited funds, internal disunity, and none of the advantages that come with holding office. 

Until PDP’s legal situation changes or the smaller parties unite — possibly through the ADC coalition — most analysts are already treating BAO’s re-election as a foregone conclusion.

Things could still shift if the PDP amicably resolves it’s internal wranglings or if the ADC coalition builds momentum. But as we stand in early May 2026, APC is the only party executing a full-scale, local government by local government campaigns.