David Williams
Funmilayo Ogun, a gubernatorial aspirant under the platform of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2026 Ekiti State election, has raised alarm over an alleged manipulation and impunity within the party following the release of the party’s delegate list for the primary election slated for Saturday 8th, 2025.
Speaking during a press briefing on Friday at her campaign office in Ado-Ekiti, Ogun, who hails from Orin-Ekiti in Ido Local Government Area of Ekiti State, expressed shock and disappointment over what she described as a deliberate attempt by some “spineless men” within the party to sabotage her political ambition by altering the authentic delegate list produced during the ad-hoc congresses held on October 20, 2025.
According to her, the congresses were observed by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), who also monitored the entire process and issued certified true copies of their reports. She revealed that the names of legitimate delegates who participated in the congresses and purchased nomination forms were later replaced with individuals who neither obtained forms nor appeared at the congress venues.
Her words, “We were all at the party secretariat when the ad-hoc congress was conducted on October 20. INEC officials were present and observed the process. Names were submitted to the panel led by Senator Onyeghi and everything went smoothly.
“We thought it was a joke until the early hours of this morning, when the list was officially released. I was shocked to discover that even in my own ward, where I am a delegate, my name was completely removed.
“The same thing happened in several other wards across the state. Before you can participate in a congress, you must obtain a nomination form. For people who didn’t buy forms to now appear on the list as winners is the height of impunity”.
The governorship aspirant accused some of the party leaders of deliberately tampering with the delegate list to frustrate her chances, claiming that her rising popularity at the grassroots level had instilled fear among her opponents.
“They are so afraid of me being a woman that they went as far as changing the entire list of my local government, Ido/Osi LGA, and even removed my name from the delegate list of my ward.
“I don’t have godfathers or ‘former this, former that’ backing me. I also don’t have smoked dollars to bribe anyone, but I have the overwhelming support of the grassroots and party faithful across all 16 local government areas of the state.
“That’s why they are resorting to underhand tactics. Let them release the right list and meet me on the field, I will defeat all of them put together”.
Ogun called on the National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Ojo Amupitan to remain neutral and refuse to recognize any primary election that uses the doctored delegate list adding that this would be his true test as INEC Chairman.
Also speaking at the briefing, Chairman of the PDP Local Government Chairmen, Aare Oluyemi Ajanaku, confirmed Ogun’s allegations, describing the situation as “shameful and worrisome.”
According to Ajanaku, the congress was conducted under the supervision of Senator Ningi, with INEC, the police, and DSS officers in attendance.
He said, though results were properly recorded and signed by all relevant officials, the final delegate list released by the party contained strange names of people who neither purchased nomination forms nor participated in the process.
