The names of the Peoples Democratic Party and Labour Party governorship candidates in Ogun State were missing from the INEC list.

The commission released the final list of 13 political parties and their candidates. Twelve governorship candidates and their running mates from the 12 out of the 13 registered political parties in Ogun State make INEC final list.

The incumbent and governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prince Dapo Abiodun; Biyi Otegbeye of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Omosanya Monsuru of Accord, Adeyemi Olufemi (Action Alliance, Harrison Adeyemi (AAC), Sokunbi Olanrewaju (ADP), Jolaoluwa Emmanuel (APM), Falana Omoshile (APP), Oguntoyinbo Ajadi (NNPP), Ogunronmbi Oludayo (NRM), Bamgbose Olufemi (PRP) and Ojesina Anthony (SDP) made the list.

The PDP was listed as number 21, however the names of the governorship candidate and running mate were not included.

In the documents released by the electoral body on Tuesday, names of governorship candidates with pending court cases in their respective states and other victims of intra-party crises are, however, conspicuously missing. The omission was cited by the commission as a “court order.”

The development is generating tension among members of the affected political parties, as their fates hang few months to the election. Loyalists of the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Honourable Oladipupo Adebutu, are yet to come to terms with the exclusion of their candidate from the list.

Members of the party had taken the party, Ladi Adebutu, and INEC to court, questioning the veracity of the delegates’ lists used in the primaries.

Recall that a Federal High Court in Abuja had, last week, delivered a judgment in a suit filed by three members of the PDP in Ogun State, Taiwo Olabode Idris, Kehinde Akala and Alhaji Ayinde Monsuru, challenging the ad hoc delegates’ list used in the conduct of all primaries by the party in Ogun State.

In addition, the court barred INEC from recognising Ladi Adebutu as the party’s governorship candidate in the state.

Justice O.O. Oguntoyinbo issued his ruling, ordering new primaries for all positions within 14 days.

In the case of the LP, neither the party nor its candidate were listed by INEC.

Niyi Iyalaje, the Resident Electoral Commission of INEC, said that the list pasted was authorized by INEC headquarters in Abuja.

Meanwhile, Sheriff Oborevwori, the Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, has been approved by INEC as the PDP’s governorship candidate.

Oborevwori’s candidacy was called into question after the May 25 primary due to a court lawsuit brought by Mr David Edevbie, who questioned the academic credentials Oborevwori submitted.

Other candidates who made the 36- man list included the governorship flag bearer of the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, Professor Greg Ibe; his running mate, Hon. Obinna Ichita; the Labour Party governorship candidate, Dr Alex Otti; and his running mate, Emetu Lekwachi.

On the list also were the All Progressive Congress, APC, governorship candidate, Chief Ikechi Emenike; his running mate, Gloria Akara; Bishop Sunday Onuoha of the African Democratic Congress, ADC; and his running mate, Ngozi Nwasimuo; Chima Nwafor of the Young Peoples Party, YPP; and his running mate, Chima Anyaso.

Further analysis of the list shows that 16 out of the 16 governorship candidates are males while only two are females.

Only four females made the list of deputy governorship candidates while the rest were males.