Olugbenga Ajala says the party faces an uneven contest after INEC added its candidates to the ballot just three days before Saturday’s poll

Olugbenga Ajala, Social Democratic Party candidate for the Osun State governorship election, said on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, that he remained optimistic of victory despite the Independent National Electoral Commission adding his name and that of his running mate to the ballot only three days before Saturday’s poll.

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Ajala spoke shortly after INEC confirmed the SDP’s inclusion in the election, acknowledging that the party had little time to campaign but insisting that the late entry would not extinguish its hopes of winning.

“We are very optimistic about victory. In fact, we are joyous,” Ajala told The PUNCH in a telephone interview.

The development followed a Federal High Court judgment delivered in Abuja on July 22 in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/344/2026 involving the SDP, Ajala and INEC.

The court ordered the electoral commission to “forthwith recognise, accept, upload, process and publish” Ajala’s name and particulars as the SDP’s governorship candidate.

INEC subsequently added Ajala and his running mate, Faseke Oladipo, to the ballot for the August 15 election.

The commission said on Wednesday that ballot papers were being reproduced to accommodate the court-ordered inclusion. Result sheets are also being reproduced to reflect the change.

The adjustment brings the number of political parties contesting the Osun governorship election to 15.

For Ajala, however, the timing presents an obvious disadvantage.

He said the SDP had spent much of the period before the commission’s decision in court rather than conducting a conventional statewide campaign.

“We were in court throughout before we got judgments,” he said.

He acknowledged that the party would have only about 48 hours to intensify its campaign after being added to the ballot, describing the situation as an uneven contest.

“In the next 48 hours, there is very little we can do because it is like a 100-meter race. Some of the contestants have reached 75 meters out of the 100 meters,” Ajala said.

“We are now coming out to the starting point. You know, it will be an unfair competition. We will do our best.”

Despite the compressed campaign window, the SDP candidate said he would wait for the electorate to deliver its verdict before deciding on the party’s next course of action.

“Let us see what the result will be before we can say decisively which step we will take,” he said.

The court-ordered inclusion has added another twist to an already closely watched Osun election, with parties having spent weeks campaigning across the state’s 30 local government areas.

The poll is scheduled for Saturday, August 15, with incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party seeking re-election against candidates from the All Progressives Congress, Accord Party, SDP and other political parties.

INEC’s decision also means voters who had previously received information about the participating parties must now take account of the SDP’s inclusion when making their final choices.

The commission’s decision to reproduce both ballot papers and result sheets underscores the logistical implications of the late addition, particularly with election day only days away.

The SDP’s legal battle has therefore produced a remarkable late-stage development in the contest. Ajala’s name will now appear before voters, but his campaign faces the difficult task of converting a court victory into electoral support within an exceptionally short period.

For Ajala, the circumstances may be challenging, but they have not diminished his confidence.

Also read: SDP Chairman Sadiq Gombe Hails INEC Decision as Major Validation

With the ballot now formally open to the SDP, the party will have one final opportunity to make its case to Osun voters before the state’s electorate determines the winner on Saturday.