Two days to Saturday’s Osun State governorship election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has commenced the reprinting of ballot papers and result sheets following a court order directing the inclusion of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate, Dr Francis Olugbenga Ajala, in the race. INEC, in a statement issued yesterday by the national commissioner and chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, said Ajala and his running mate, Faseke Babajimi Oladipo, had been added to the ballot. The development means that 15 political parties will now contest the August 15 governorship election.

Two days to Saturday’s Osun State governorship election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has commenced the reprinting of ballot papers and result sheets following a court order directing the inclusion of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate, Dr Francis Olugbenga Ajala, in the race.

INEC, in a statement issued yesterday by the national commissioner and chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, said Ajala and his running mate, Faseke Babajimi Oladipo, had been added to the ballot.

The development means that 15 political parties will now contest the August 15 governorship election.

According to the commission, the decision followed a judgement delivered by the Federal High Court, Abuja, on July 22, 2026, in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/344/2026, involving the SDP, Ajala and INEC.

The court ordered the electoral commission to recognise, accept, upload, process and publish Ajala’s name and particulars as the SDP candidate for the election.

In compliance with the judgement, INEC said it was reproducing the ballot papers and result sheets to accommodate the SDP candidate.

The commission said the reproduced materials would arrive in Osun State today, Thursday, August 13, and would immediately be moved to various local government area offices across the state in line with its established procedure for deploying sensitive electoral materials.

The development has placed additional logistical pressure on INEC as preparations intensify for Saturday’s poll.

INEC, however, assured political parties, candidates and voters of its commitment to conducting a free, fair and credible election and urged all stakeholders to remain focused on the electoral process.

|THE LEADERSHIP|