The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has added the Social Democratic Party (SDP) governorship candidate, Dr. Francis Olugbenga Ajala, and his running mate, Faseke Babajimi Oladipo, to the ballot for the Osun State governorship election scheduled for Saturday, August 15, 2026.
The development has introduced a dramatic last-minute twist into the election, coming just 72 hours before Osun voters are scheduled to elect the next governor of the state.
INEC announced the decision on Wednesday in a statement signed by Mohammed Kudu Haruna, National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee.
According to the electoral commission, the inclusion of Ajala followed a judgment delivered by the Federal High Court, Abuja, on July 22, 2026, in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/344/2026.
The suit was instituted by the Social Democratic Party and Dr. Francis Olugbenga Ajala against INEC.
The court, according to the commission, ordered INEC to “forthwith recognise, accept, upload, process and publish” Ajala’s name and particulars as the governorship candidate of the SDP.
The court-ordered inclusion means that Ajala, who was previously absent from the ballot for the election, will now participate in the governorship contest alongside his running mate.
INEC REPRINTS BALLOT PAPERS
In a significant logistical move just days before the election, INEC disclosed that it had commenced the reproduction of ballot papers to accommodate the SDP candidate.
The commission also confirmed that the result sheets for the election were being reproduced to reflect the new candidate.
INEC said the development has increased the number of political parties contesting the August 15 election to 15.
“The ballot papers for the election, scheduled to hold on Saturday, 15th August 2026, are being reproduced to reflect this addition, bringing to fifteen (15) the total number of political parties contesting the election,” the commission stated.
“The result sheets for the election are also being reproduced alongside the ballot papers to reflect the inclusion of the SDP candidate.”
The decision has placed additional pressure on the electoral commission’s final preparations, with the election only days away and sensitive electoral materials already undergoing last-minute changes.
NEW MATERIALS TO ARRIVE THURSDAY
INEC said the newly reproduced ballot papers would arrive in Osun State on Thursday, August 13, only two days before voters head to the polling units.
The commission said the materials would subsequently be moved to the various Local Government Area offices across the state on the same day.
According to INEC, the distribution would be carried out in line with its established procedures for the deployment of sensitive election materials.
The development means that electoral officials, political parties and other stakeholders will now have to work with an updated ballot containing the SDP candidate and his running mate.
ELECTION ENTERS FINAL STAGE
The court-ordered inclusion of Ajala comes as political parties intensify their final mobilisation and preparations ahead of Saturday’s election.
With the SDP now formally restored to the contest, the August 15 governorship election will feature 15 political parties, adding another dimension to an already closely watched electoral battle.
The late development is also expected to draw heightened attention to the handling and distribution of the newly reproduced ballot papers and result sheets, particularly given the short period between their arrival in the state and election day.
INEC, however, moved to reassure political parties, candidates and voters that the last-minute adjustment would not compromise the integrity of the election.
The commission reiterated its commitment to conducting a free, fair and credible governorship election in Osun State.
“INEC assures political parties, candidates, and the general public of its commitment to conducting a free, fair, and credible election in Osun State,” the commission stated.
With the SDP candidate now officially on the ballot, attention shifts to Saturday, August 15, when Osun voters will decide who succeeds as the next governor of the state in what has now become a 15-party contest shaped by a last-minute court-driven electoral twist.