Agboola Alleges Political Plot Over Omission of Name from INEC Governorship List

The governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Oyo State, Mogaji Olusegun Abiodun Agboola, has alleged a political plot to undermine his 2027 governorship ambition following the omission of his name from the list of candidates published by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Agboola, who described the omission as illegal and inexplicable, alleged that some individuals in rival political parties were behind the development in an attempt to weaken his campaign and suppress the party’s political activities.

The SDP candidate, who said he had complied with the necessary requirements, disclosed that he had approached the Federal High Court in Abuja to challenge the omission and compel INEC to include his name on the list.

In a statement, Agboola said, “The illegal and unexplainable omission of my name from the latest INEC published list as the SDP governorship candidate for Oyo State is perplexing.

“Of all qualified candidates, my name was singled out and omitted from the published list without any reason from INEC.”

He alleged that some politicians from other major parties were uncomfortable with the political positions and development agenda of the SDP, hence the alleged attempt to frustrate his ambition through the electoral commission.

“I have been told that some people from other popular parties are behind it. They are not comfortable with all we stand for, so they want to use INEC to diminish our campaign and suppress all our efforts,” he said.

Agboola expressed confidence that the court would compel INEC to correct the omission, questioning why a candidate who had followed due process should have to resort to litigation to secure a place on the official list.

“We have followed due process and the court will soon mandate INEC to include our names, but why is that necessary?” he queried.

He further alleged that the development was part of efforts by unnamed political interests to influence the outcome of the 2027 governorship election.

“Some people want to use every means possible to doctor the outcome. This is sad for our democracy and shows the integrity of the umpire is damaged if this anomaly is not loudly corrected with a very public announcement from the INEC chairman,” he added.

The controversy followed the publication of INEC’s list of governorship candidates, which reportedly excluded Agboola despite his emergence through the SDP’s substitution primary.

The party’s position is that the candidate’s name ought to have been included after he submitted an affidavit as directed by the commission and the window for complaints, which closed on October 24, had elapsed.

The omission has raised questions about the circumstances surrounding the exclusion, particularly as the SDP candidate’s camp maintains that it has fulfilled the necessary electoral requirements.

Agboola had earlier called for issue-based campaigns and challenged other governorship contenders to public debates, insisting that Oyo State needed practical solutions to unemployment, insecurity, inadequate infrastructure and other development challenges.

He had also maintained that the state’s problems required sustainable and systemic solutions rather than temporary interventions.

The SDP candidate’s legal challenge is expected to seek clarification on the basis for his exclusion and compel INEC to explain why his name was not included in the published list.

The development has added another dimension to the emerging political contest ahead of the 2027 governorship election in Oyo State.