The Special Adviser on Media to Governor Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti, Mr Yinka Oyebode, has predicted that there would be a good turn out in the Saturday governorship election in the state.

He also predicted that the exercise might be one of the most peaceful in the history of Ekiti.

Oyebode made the prediction when he received some media executives in Ado Ekiti on Friday.

He attributed his prediction to the free space Governor Oyebanji gave all the political parties to campaign across the state.

He said before now, the state recorded violence during elections because of the stifling of political activities of the opposition by the government in power.

Oyebode stressed, “But, this time, the governor regarded Ekiti citizens as one entity, hence the enabling environment given to the opposition parties to operate freely.

“Everyone in Ekiti enjoys equal rights and freedom irrespective of political, religious or cultural affiliations.”

The governor’s aide attributed violence during elections to what he tagged reactionary actions of the opposition from a hostile political environment, most times the created by the government in power.

But reviewing the process so far, Oyebode said that Ekiti remains the most peaceful state in the country.

“We expect a very good turnout. We have seen it even in the collection of PVC.

“So far people have made almost 91 per cent of the collection. And there has been a remarkable improvement in what we had in terms of voter registration in the previous elections.

“Again, there is no report of the opposition saying that they were not allowed to operate, ,unlike the situation before now and this is a clear indication that we are expecting a peaceful and violence-free exercise tomorrow,” he said.

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Democratic Party has dismissed claims making the round that its governorship candidate, Isaac Adebayo Alade, has withdrawn from the scheduled Saturday, 20th June 2026, gubernatorial election in Ekiti State.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

Members of the Osun State chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, ALGON, and leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Friday accused the Osun State Government of deliberately instigating crises over the control of local government councils in the state.

Addressing a press conference in Osogbo on behalf of the party, Barrister Adegoke Ogunsola alleged that the state government had misinterpreted a recent judgment of the Federal High Court, Osogbo, in a manner capable of causing public disorder.

Ogunsola said the suit, filed by reinstated APC chairmen and councillors on September 12, 2025, sought judicial interpretation of the commencement date of their tenure in office under relevant Osun State laws and noted that the court dismissed the case on June 15, 2026.

According to him, “the dismissal of the suit did not amount to validation of the local government elections allegedly conducted on February 22, 2025, as being claimed by the state government and its supporters.

“Sequel to the dismissal, the Osun State Government and its henchmen stormed the streets and began to foment avoidable crises by ascribing the dismissal of the suit to validation of the ruse being paraded as the outcome of local government elections purportedly held on February 22, 2025.”

The APC leaders further criticised Governor Ademola Adeleke’s request for police protection for individuals he described as elected local government officials, arguing that such a move was embarrassing and condemnable and could plunge the state into chaos.

Ogunsola disclosed that the Federal High Court judgment had already been appealed and that an application for stay of execution was filed on June 16, 2026, and served on all parties involved, including the police.

“To set the record straight, the judgment of the FHC that they want to utilise to enthrone themselves is the subject of an appeal, with an application for stay of execution dated and filed on June 16, 2026, and which has been served on the parties,” he stated.

He argued that the individuals seeking to assume control of the councils were not parties to the suit and that the court did not grant any relief in their favour.

He maintained that the police, being aware of the pending appeal and motion for stay, should not be used to enforce the judgment.

Ogunsola also cited a portion of the court judgment which, according to him, affirmed that the tenure of the elected chairmen and councillors ran from October 2022 to October 2025.

Quoting from the ruling, Ogunsola said, “No matter the interruptions or interjections in the tenure of the elected public officer after subscription to the oath of office and oath of allegiance, the expiration date of the said tenure remains the same as per the Constitution or the statute.”

He argued that the court’s pronouncement implied that the local government elections and subsequent swearing-in ceremony allegedly conducted by the state government in February 2025 were null and void, adding that the matter had already been placed before the Court of Appeal.

The APC leaders urged residents of Osun State to remain peaceful and continue their lawful activities, insisting that there was no court order authorising any group to take over council secretariats pending the determination of the appeal.

While commending security agencies, including the police, the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), for maintaining peace in the state, they warned that any breakdown of law and order arising from attempts to enforce the disputed interpretation of the judgment would be the responsibility of the Osun State Government.