Ekiti PA governorship aspirant on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State, Mrs. Funmilayo Theresa Ogun, has raised the alarm over what she described as “a brazen manipulation” of the delegates’ list ahead of the party’s primary election.
Addressing journalists in Ado-Ekiti, on Friday, Ogun expressed disappointment over the alleged substitution of authentic delegates who emerged from the ad-hoc congresses held on October 20, 2025, with those she claimed neither obtained nomination forms nor participated in the exercise.
Ogun, who hails from Orin-Ekiti in Ido/Osi Local Government Area, described the incident as “a calculated attempt by some spineless men within the party to frustrate my ambition and undermine the will of the people.”
“We were all present at the party secretariat when the delegate congress was held. INEC officials observed the process, and everything was properly documented.
“But to my shock, when the list was released early this morning, my name and those of many legitimate delegates had been completely removed even in my own ward where I am a delegate,” she alleged.
The governorship hopeful claimed the names of those lawfully elected during the delegate congresses were replaced with individuals unknown to the process, describing “the development as not only shameful but also undemocratic.”
“Before you can participate in a congress, you must obtain a nomination form. For people who never bought forms to now appear as winners on the official list is the height of impunity,” Ogun stated.
The aspirant accused certain party leaders of deliberately tampering with the list out of fear of her growing popularity at the grassroots, especially as a female contender in a male-dominated race.
“They are intimidated by my rising support across the 16 local government areas. I don’t have godfathers or access to dollars to bribe anyone, but I have the genuine backing of the people. That’s why they are resorting to manipulation. Let them release the correct list and meet me on the field, I will defeat them all,” she declared.
The former Work Commissioner called on Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Ojo Amupitan, to resist any attempt to legitimise the alleged doctored list.
She urged the commission to maintain its neutrality and decline to monitor any primary election based on the altered names.
While acknowledging that INEC has limited power over internal party affairs, Ogun stressed that the commission has a moral duty to protect democratic integrity.
The aspirant disclosed that she had already petitioned INEC and the PDP National Secretariat, attaching certified true copies of the authentic congress results observed by INEC officials.
She added that her legal team had been briefed to explore all lawful means of redress, vowed to seek legal remedy if the PDP leadership fails to address the situation before the primary.
“I followed all due process, obtained my forms, and mobilized supporters across the state. If the party refuses to correct this illegality, we will not hesitate to go to court,” she said.
Chairman of the Forum of PDP Local Government Chairmen in Ekiti, Oluyemi Ajanaku, corroborated Ogun’s claims, describing the development as “worrisome, disgraceful, and dangerous to the party’s unity.”
Ajanaku warned that the manipulation, if unchecked, could worsen the internal crisis within the party and jeopardize its chances in the coming governorship election.
“Ekiti is winnable for PDP if we remain united. But how do you convince loyal members to stay committed when their names are arbitrarily removed from the delegates’ list?” he queried.
