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Orders Conduct of Fresh Primary
- Safiu Kehinde
A Federal High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti has on Tuesday nullified the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primary election which produced Dr Wole Oluyede as the party’s candidate for the 2026 Ekiti Governorship Election.
The court, in its ruling over a suit filed by a governorship aspirant, Funsho Ayeni, against PDP and Independent National Election Commission (INEC), ordered a fresh governorship primary election in the state.
Ayeni had reportedly approached the court to challenge the validity of the governorship primary, alleging that the party failed to present the original and authentic list of statutory and ad hoc delegates used for the exercise.
He also 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 invalid.
Delivering judgment, Justice Babs Kuewumi held that the conduct of the primary election did not comply with the provisions of the law and the party’s constitution.
Kuewumi consequently nullified the primary election and ordered PDP, in conjunction with INEC, to conduct a fresh primary in strict compliance with the law and relevant guidelines.
The judge ordered that all eligible aspirants be allowed to participate in the fresh primary election to ensure transparency, fairness and internal democracy within the party.
According to reports, Oluyede had emerged winner of the governorship primary election conducted on November 8, 2025 by the Sen. Ibrahim Dankwambo-led electoral committee.
At the election, Oluyede scored 279 votes to defeat Funsho Ayeni and Mrs Funmi Ogun.
In the suit numbered: FHC/AD/CS/29/2025, Ayeni challenged Oluyede’s victory in the primary election.