By Olamilekan Abayomi
A Federal High Court in Ado-Ekiti has nullified the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primary election in Ekiti State, ordering a fresh primary to be conducted. The court ruled that the primary election, which produced Dr. Wole Oluyede as the PDP candidate, was not conducted in compliance with the party’s constitution and electoral guidelines.
The suit was filed by Funsho Ayeni, a governorship aspirant, who alleged that the party failed to present the original and authentic list of statutory and ad hoc delegates used for the exercise. The court held that the conduct of the primary election did not comply with the provisions of the law and the party’s constitution.
Justice Babs Kuewumi, in his ruling, upheld allegations of irregularities raised by Ayeni against the conduct of the primary. The judge ordered the PDP, in conjunction with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to conduct a fresh primary in strict compliance with the law and relevant guidelines.
The PDP has vowed to appeal the judgment, insisting that the primary election was free and fair. The party’s governorship candidate, Dr. Oluyede, was initially declared winner of the primary election held on November 8, 2025, but the court has now ordered a fresh primary to be conducted.
The court’s decision has sparked reactions from various stakeholders, with some accusing the All Progressives Congress (APC) of masterminding the alleged removal of Oluyede from the INEC list of candidates. The PDP has also accused INEC of bias, claiming that the commission excluded Oluyede’s name from the list of candidates.
The Ekiti State governorship election is scheduled to hold on June 20, 2026, and the PDP is expected to conduct a fresh primary to produce a new candidate. The party’s ability to field a strong candidate will depend on the outcome of the appeal and the fresh primary election.
