No fewer than 885 delegates drawn from across the 16 local government areas of Ekiti states are expected to participate in Monday’s All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary elections.

The exercise, which will take place at the popular Ekiti Parapo Pavilion in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti state capital, will determine the party’s flag bearer for the June 20, 2026 governorship election.

The delegates were elected on Saturday during the party’s delegates congress across the 177 wards in the 16 local government areas of the state.

Five delegates emerged from each ward during the peaceful exercise supervised by officials of APC National secretariat led by Mr. Jaret Tenebe, the Chairman of the Delegates Congress Committee and Edo APC chairman in the presence of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the security agencies.

Though four aspirants obtained the APC expression of interest and nomination forms, Governor Biodun Oyebanji is the sole candidate in the race following the disqualification and withdrawal of other aspirants.

Those who obtained nomination forms included Oyebanji, Engr. Kayode Ojo, Mrs Oluremi Omolayo, and Mrs. Olajumoke Abimbola.

After the screening, only Oyebanji and Omolayo were cleared to contest, while Ojo and Olajumoke were disqualified for failing to meet the mandatory threshold of the required five valid nominators per local government as enshrined in the provisions of the APC constitution.

Omolayo later stepped down from the race, pledging support for Governor Oyebanji.

Her decision, according to party sources, was in the spirit of unity and loyalty to the collective progress of the APC in Ekiti State.

With the withdrawal of Omolayo from the race, Oyebanji is the sole aspirant in the APC governorship primary.

Despite the party’s primary being a one-horse race, party leaders said that the delegates will still cast their votes to affirm Governor Oyebanji’s candidacy in compliance with the APC constitution and internal electoral procedures.

An APC chieftain and Special Adviser to the Governor on Information, Hon. Taiwo Olatunbosun, lauded the peaceful atmosphere that has characterised the build-up to the primary, describing it as a reflection of the unity and cohesion within the Ekiti APC.

He said the party had learnt from past experiences and was determined to go into the June 20 governorship election as one formidable family.

Security has been tightened around the Ekiti Parapo Pavilion ahead of the primary election. Personnel from the Nigeria Police Force, Department of the State Services, and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps are expected to be on ground to maintain peace and order.

Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission and the APC National Secretariat will also monitor the exercise to ensure compliance with the party’s and electoral guideline (The Nation)