Ekiti 2026: Court Nullifies PDP’s Governorship Primary Election

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been ordered by a Federal High Court sitting in Ado Ekiti to conduct a fresh governorship primary election in Ekiti State.

The court, on Monday, nullified the outcome of the party’s shadow election held on November 8, 2025, and won by Dr Wole Oluyede, for alleged breaches of PDP guidelines and the Electoral Act.

One of the governorship aspirants of the party, who contested in the primary election, Mr Funso Ayeni, filed the suit against the PDP and the Independent National Election Commission (INEC), alleging that the original and authentic list of statutory and ad hoc delegates was not presented and used for the exercise.

Ayeni, who approached the court to challenge the validity of the governorship primary election, 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, who presided over the case, held that the conduct of the primary election did not comply with the provisions of the law and the party’s constitution.

The judge consequently nullified the primary election and ordered the PDP and INEC to conduct a fresh governorship primary election in strict compliance with the law and relevant guidelines.

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

In his reaction, counsel to Oluyede, Mr Owoseni Ajayi, who expressed his team’s dissatisfaction with the ruling,  disclosed that they will appeal the judgment and file for a stay of execution.

Oluyede emerged as the winner of the gubernatorial primary election, conducted last year by the electoral committee led by the former Governor of Gombe State, Senator Ibrahim Dankwambo.

Oluyede got 279 votes to defeat Funsho Ayeni and a female aspirant, Mrs Funmi Ogun.

Ayeni, in the suit numbered FHC/AD/CS/29/2025, was challenging Oluyede’s victory in the primary election

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