Ekiti 2026: Court voids PDP primary election, orders fresh exercise

A Federal High Court in Ado-Ekiti on Tuesday nullified the outcome of the last Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primary election in Ekiti State, which produced Wole Oluyede as its candidate, and ordered a fresh exercise in the state.

Mr Oluyede had emerged winner of the election conducted on 8 November by the party’s electoral committee headed by Ibrahim Dankwambo, a senator and former governor of Gombe State.

He got 279 votes to defeat Funsho Ayeni and Funmi Ogun.

In the suit numbered FHC/AD/CS/29/2025, Mrs Ayeni challenged Mr Oluyede’s victory, alleging that the party failed to present the original and authentic list of statutory and ad-hoc delegates, used for the exercise.

She argued that the absence of the original delegates’ list constituted a fundamental breach of the PDP guidelines and the Electoral Act, thereby rendering the primary election null and void.

Delivering judgement on the matter, the presiding judge, Babs Kuewumi, held that the conduct of the primary election did not comply with the provisions of the law and the party’s constitution.

Mr Kuewumi consequently nullified the primary election and ordered the PDP, in conjunction with INEC, to conduct a fresh governorship primary election, in strict compliance with the law and relevant guidelines.

The judge further directed that all eligible aspirants be allowed to participate in the fresh primary election, to ensure transparency, fairness, and internal democracy within the party.

During the hearing, Kola Kolade (SAN) led other lawyers to represent Mrs Ayeni, while Ola Olanipekun (SAN) and Owoseni Ajayi represented Mr Oluyede.

The Osun State Legal Adviser of the party, Ola Alonge, a lawyer, held brief for the PDP.

Speaking with journalists on the telephone, Mr Ajayi, a counsel to the defendant, expressed dissatisfaction with the ruling of the court, disclosing that the process for appealing the judgement has commenced, including filing for a stay of execution.

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The judgement has dealt another blow to Mr Oluyede’s ambition to become the governor of the South-west state. Before the close of last year, INEC had excluded his name from the list of the governorship candidates for the 20 June election.

The commission had reportedly premised its decision on a leadership crisis in the PDP, which has led to the split of the opposition party into two and multiple litigations and judgements.