By, Olawale Ogunbusola, Ibadan.

Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC) has formally recognized the faction of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) backed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

The commission has also accepted the party’s list of chairmanship and councillorship candidates ahead of the forthcoming local government election.

This comes months after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) took a similar position in the ongoing processes for the 2027 general election by dealing with the Abdulrahman Mohammed-led National Working Committee as the authentic leadership of PDP at the national level.

OYSIEC, which was constituted by Governor Seyi Makinde, received the list of candidates of the PDP submitted through a letter dated July 30, 2026, duly received by Oyo State Electoral Commission.

A copy of the letter was made available to reporters in Ibadan, Oyo State by the Directorate of Media of the State Chapter.

In the letter addressed to “The Chairman, Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission”, and signed by the state Chairman, Professor Rahman Akinoso, the party notified the electoral umpire of its participation in the December 29 council polls and submitted the full list of its nominated candidates.

The letter said: “Find the attached list of our candidates for the forthcoming Oyo State Local Government Election.

“The primaries to elect the candidates were peacefully conducted in line with rules and regulations guiding the exercise.”

With the decision, OYSIEC has aligned with the position of INEC on the PDP crisis, and as a significant shift from recognition of the rival group loyal to Governor Makinde and led by Tanimu Turaki.

Political observers say the decision by OYSIEC to accept the Wike-backed PDP candidates may not be unconnected with recent court judgments that affirmed the legitimacy of the Muhammed Abdulrahman-led structure and warned against disenfranchising any political party ahead of elections.

“With INEC already recognising the Abdulrahman-led NWC in the 2027 process, it would have been untenable for OYSIEC to act differently in a state election,” a party chieftain said anonymously.

With the receipt of the candidates’ list, the coast is now clear for the Wike-backed PDP to participate fully in the local government elections across the 33 local government areas in Oyo State.

Meanwhile, efforts to get reaction from the Makinde-backed group and OYSIEC at press time were unsuccessful.