The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed that 14 political parties will participate in the August 8 governorship election in Osun State.
The announcement was contained in a statement issued on Sunday in Osogbo by INEC’s Public Relations Officer in the state, Mr. Musa Olurode.
Notably absent from the list are the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP), both of which failed to meet the commission’s requirements within the stipulated timeframe.
Olurode explained that only parties that successfully conducted their primaries and uploaded the names and particulars of their candidates within the commission’s deadline were cleared to contest.
The parties approved for the election include Accord (A), Action Alliance (AA), African Action Congress (AAC), African Democratic Congress (ADC), Action Democratic Party (ADP), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and All Progressives Congress (APC).
Others are 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).
In line with Section 29(3) of the Electoral Act 2022 and the approved timetable for the poll, INEC has published the personal particulars (Form EC9) of the candidates and their running mates.
The documents, including academic credentials and other supporting materials, will be displayed for public inspection from February 16 at the INEC State Office, all 30 Local Government Area offices and the Area Office in Osun.
READ ALSO Jilli Airstrike: Supporters Of Terrorists Will Be Treated As Bandits, Defence Minister Warns Defence Minister Christopher Musa has warned that supporters of terrorists would be treated as criminals. He said this on Monday as he reacted to the airstrike carried out by the Nigerian Air Force airstrike in Jilli, Borno State, over the weekend. Speaking after an expanded security meeting in Kaduna with the state governor and heads of security agencies, Musa said the operation sends a clear message to those collaborating with terrorist groups. He stressed that anyone found supporting insurgents would face the same consequences as the perpetrators. “A friend of a thief is a thief,” he said, warning civilians against associating with or providing any form of assistance to terrorists. Musa urged residents to steer clear of areas known to be used by insurgents, noting that proximity or collaboration could have grave consequences. The airstrike, carried out near the village of Jilli in Gubio Local Government Area, targeted what the military described as an ISWAP enclave and logistics hub. According to the Nigerian Air Force, the operation was intelligence-driven and aimed at neutralising terror elements and destroying their equipment. However, reports have emerged alleging that the strike may have affected a weekly market in the area, with civilians, including cross-border traders, reportedly among casualties. Musa, however, maintained that the strike should serve as a strong warning to those aiding insurgent activities, reaffirming the military’s resolve to intensify operations against terrorist networks. Air Component of Joint Task Force (North East) Operation HADIN KAI, conducted a precision air strike on a known terrorist enclave and logistics hub located near the abandoned village of Jilli in Gubio Local Government Area of Borno State. Giving an update on the airstrike, the Nigerian Army in a post on its official X handle said, “The successful strike, executed on 11 April 2026, followed sustained intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance missions over the Bindul–Jilli axis, an area long identified as a major terrorist movement corridor and convergence point for Islamic State West Africa Province terrorists and their collaborators.”
Olurode urged political parties, candidates and members of the public to scrutinise the published documents as provided by law, reiterating that only the 14 compliant parties would feature on the ballot.
Also speaking, the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Osun, Dr. Mutiu Agboke, reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to transparency, professionalism and the conduct of credible elections in line with democratic standards
