PDP faults court judgement on gov primary in Ekiti

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has faulted the judgment of a Federal High Court in Ado-Ekiti, which nullified its primary election for the June 20, 2026, governorship election in Ekiti State.

The primary had produced Dr. Wole Oluyede as the party’s candidate.

Justice Babs Kuewumi, in a suit numbered FHC/AD/CS/29/2025, voided the primary conducted on November 8, 2025, and ordered a fresh exercise. The suit was filed by a fellow aspirant, Funsho Ayeni, who challenged Oluyede’s victory.

Ayeni alleged that the party failed to present the original and authentic list of statutory and ad hoc delegates for the primary, arguing this breach rendered the election invalid.

The court held that the conduct of the primary did not comply with the provisions of the law and the party’s constitution.

Justice Kuewumi directed the PDP, in conjunction with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to conduct a fresh governorship primary in strict compliance with the law and relevant guidelines, allowing all eligible aspirants to participate.

Counsel for Oluyede, Owoseni Ajayi, expressed dissatisfaction with the ruling, disclosing that the process for an appeal, including filing for a stay of execution, has commenced.

Separately, a pressure group, the Ekiti Liberation Agenda (ELA), has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of masterminding the alleged removal of Oluyede’s name from INEC’s official list of candidates.

The group’s representative, Mrs. Omotunde Fajuyi, claimed the omission was a deliberate act influenced by the state government, alleging that INEC officials had originally monitored and cleared the primary.

In response, the Ekiti APC spokesman, Segun Dipe, dismissed the ELA as a “meddlesome interloper” composed of people not known in the state’s politics.

About The Author

Dele Fashomi

Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.

Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.

He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.

Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).

He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.

He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.

Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled:  Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.

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