Ekiti 2026: PDP Aspirant, Funmilayo Ogun, Kicks Over Alleged Manipulation of Delegate List

Tension is brewing within the Ekiti State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as one of its governorship aspirants, Mrs. Funmilayo Theresa Ogun, has accused party leaders of tampering with the delegate list ahead of the 2026 governorship primary scheduled for Saturday, November 8, 2025.

Speaking with journalists at her campaign office in Ajilosun, Ado-Ekiti, on Friday, Ogun described the newly released delegate list as “fraudulent and doctored,” insisting it does not reflect the outcomes of the ad-hoc congresses held on October 20, 2025, which, according to her, were duly monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The aspirant, who hails from Orin-Ekiti in Ido/Osi Local Government Area, alleged that names of genuine delegates who bought forms and took part in the exercise had been replaced by “unknown persons” in what she termed a deliberate plot to weaken her chances at the poll.

“To my surprise, the list released this morning removed validly elected delegates from several wards, including my own, and even omitted my name where I was duly elected. This is a clear attempt to undermine my growing support base across the state,” she said.

Mrs. Ogun accused some senior party figures of orchestrating the alleged manipulation out of fear of her popularity among grassroots members.

“I don’t have godfathers or foreign dollars to throw around. What I have is the support of ordinary party members across all 16 local government areas. If they are confident, let them restore the authentic list and meet me at the field,” she stated.

The PDP aspirant urged INEC Chairman, Prof. Ojo Amupitan, not to recognize any primary conducted with a doctored delegate list, warning that the credibility of the entire process was at stake.

“INEC must not allow injustice to stand. Even if it’s an internal party affair, the commission must ensure due process is followed,” she added.

Ogun disclosed that she had already forwarded certified copies of relevant documents to both the PDP National Secretariat and INEC, and was consulting her legal team over possible redress.

In a similar vein, the Chairman of the PDP Local Government Chairmen Forum in the state, Aare Oluyemi Ajanaku, backed Ogun’s claims, describing the alleged manipulation as “a shameful affront to internal democracy.”

“Those who bought forms and participated in the congress have been replaced with unknown names. It is unfair, undemocratic, and dangerous to our collective chances in the general election,” Ajanaku said.

Both Ogun and Ajanaku called on the PDP National Working Committee to urgently review and correct what they termed a gross violation of the party’s internal processes.

Ogun vowed to take legal action if the matter remains unresolved before the primaries.

“My struggle is not just about personal ambition; it is about fairness, justice, and giving women a real voice in governance. No woman has ever been elected governor in Nigeria, but that will not deter me. I will fight this injustice and stand for democracy,” she declared.