The Social Democratic Party has dismissed claims making the round that its governorship candidate, Isaac Adebayo Alade, has withdrawn from the scheduled Saturday, 20th June 2026, gubernatorial election in Ekiti State.

SDP National Publicity Secretary Araba Rufus Aiyenigba disclosed this in a statement on Friday.

This comes amid reports that Alade had stepped outside.

However, SDP said the story was fabricated to distract Ekiti voters ahead of its governorship election.

According to SDP, the false withdrawal story of Alade was credited to a group loyal to its expelled former chairman, Shehu Gabam.

“The Ekiti electorate and members of the general public are hereby assured by the National Chairman, Prof. Sadiq Umar Abubakar Gombe, and National Working Committee (NWC) that the SDP is listed on the ballot and its candidate, Ambassador Isaac Adebayo Alade, the validly nominated candidate who is recognized by the INEC, particularly with his being one of the governorship candidates who signed the INEC Peace Pact, remains strongly in contention for the election,” the party stated.

Recall that the Independent National Electoral Commission recently listed Gombe as the right national chairman of SDP on its portal.

INEC on Friday said all is set to conduct Saturday’s Ekiti election.

The Nigeria Police Force on Friday said it has concluded comprehensive security deployments and operational arrangements for the Ekiti State Governorship Election scheduled to hold on Saturday.

The police said the deployment covers all 2,545 polling units across the state, as well as critical infrastructure, major entry and exit routes, border communities and other strategic locations.

Providing an update on the Force’s preparedness, the Commissioner of Police in charge of Election Security, CP Shogule Abayomi, stated that a multi-layered security architecture has been adopted to ensure a peaceful, credible and hitch-free electoral process.

He said that security personnel and operational assets have been strategically deployed across polling units and other identified locations to guarantee the safety of voters, electoral officials, observers, and election materials throughout the exercise.

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu has also assured members of the public that all personnel deployed for election duty have been adequately briefed on their responsibilities and rules of engagement and will discharge their duties professionally, impartially, and in accordance with the law.

The Nigeria Police Force warned that electoral offences and any act capable of undermining the integrity of the electoral process will be dealt with in accordance with the Electoral Act and other extant laws.

It urged residents to remain law-abiding and conduct themselves peacefully throughout the election period.

The Force encouraged members of the public to promptly report any security concerns through the dedicated election emergency line, 080062335577, which it said will remain active throughout the election period to facilitate timely response and intervention.

It also urged eligible voters to go out peacefully and exercise their constitutional rights without fear or intimidation, while also cautioning against the spread of unverified information capable of causing panic or disrupting public order.

The police reassured residents of Ekiti State of its commitment to the protection of lives and property and the conduct of a free, fair, credible and peaceful election.

African Democratic Congress, ADC,  chieftain, Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, has described Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court as an anti-democratic judicial officer on the Federal High Court bench.

He said the judge is a mole working for the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, to stifle opposition political parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Eze, in a statement issued on Friday, said that Justice Lifu and his likes are being used by desperate politicians who see themselves as demi-gods to influence judicial decisions against anything that poses danger for President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general elections.

He said, “It is not a matter of insinuation or broad daylight allegation or even blackmail. They don’t want any opposition. Mr President is jittery and paranoid over the forthcoming presidential election. For instance, can Justice Peter Lifu make an order or reprimand anything Wike? Certainly not. That’s how bad it is.

“The judge has made mockery of himself as a cheap tool in the hands of his paymasters for the destruction of the opposition. We understand the pressure on him but must he do a hatchet job for the APC to the detriment of the entire judiciary?”

Eze stated that Justice Lifu exhibited high level of overzealousness by blatantly disregarding the order of the Appeal Court directing him to stay proceedings on the suit seeking deregistration of some political parties.

He added, “Nigeria’s judiciary was kidnapped the day the APC government led by late Muhammadu Buhari attacked, arrested and prosecuted the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, and other Supreme Court justices for reasons we all knew about.

“Since then, some judicial officers like Justice Lifu, for fear of the unknown, have relegated their apolitical status to the trash bin, and embraced the satanic hugs of civilian despots and devious politicians clothed in democratic robes.

“Thank God we still have courageous, patriotic and bold Judicial officers who dispense justice based on pure law, and without fear or favour,” Eze stated.

The ADC chieftain lampooned the Federal High Court judge for going contrary to all known judicial precedents in a bid to accomplish the prayers and visions of those he described as “drowning political misfits”, who, according to him, are totally afraid of any opposition in the 2027 general elections due to bad governance.

Eze, formerly the National Publicity Secretary of defunct New Peoples Democratic Party, nPDP, commended the Appeal Court and INEC for condemning Justice Lifu’s “judicial rascality”.

“Though we know in all these shenanigans the target is to stop the ADC presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, the incoming President from participating in the 2027 general elections but they will fall as Nigerians are ever determined to kick them out from Aso Rock all things being equal no matter the odds

“The fear of Atiku/Amaechi ticket is the beginning of wisdom for Tinubu.

“Thanks to the Appeal Court for staying the fraudulent and unpopular  judgement. We hail INEC this time for challenging the shameful judgement that purportedly ordered deregistration of both ADC and four other parties,” he added.

Consequently, Eze called on the National Judicial Council, NJC, to probe and sanction Justice Lifu for making an order “that further disparaged the public perception of Nigeria’s judiciary and for subverting the rule of law”.