Court nullifies PDP Primary in Ekiti, orders fresh exercise

Court Nullifies PDP Primary in Ekiti, Orders Fresh Exercise

A Federal High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, has delivered a landmark ruling that has reshaped the political landscape of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.

On January 13, 2026, Justice Babs Kuewumi nullified the emergence of Wole Oluyede as the PDP candidate, ordering the party to conduct a fresh primary election.

The case was brought before the court by Funso Ayeni, who challenged the conduct of the PDP primary. In his judgment, Justice Kuewumi declared that the exercise which produced Oluyede was riddled with fundamental flaws and could not stand. He identified serious procedural breaches, including a blatant disregard for the PDP’s electoral guidelines and internal regulations.

The court described the process as a “gross abuse” of the party’s procedures, stressing that it fell short of the standards required under both the PDP constitution and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Central to Ayeni’s petition was the allegation that the delegate list approved for the primary was unlawfully altered on the day of the election. The court agreed with this position, ruling that the manipulation of delegates fatally undermined the credibility of the exercise.

Justice Kuewumi emphasized that political parties are bound by their own rules and by the Nigerian Constitution, and any process conducted in violation of these principles cannot enjoy legal protection.

Consequently, the court set aside Oluyede’s emergence as the PDP flagbearer and directed the party to organize a fresh primary election.

This new exercise must strictly adhere to the PDP constitution, electoral guidelines, and the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution. The ruling is expected to have significant implications for the PDP’s internal processes in Ekiti State, particularly as preparations intensify for upcoming electoral contests.

This judgment underscores the judiciary’s role in safeguarding democratic principles and ensuring that political parties uphold transparency and fairness in their internal affairs.

For the PDP in Ekiti, the ruling represents both a setback and an opportunity: a setback in terms of disrupted plans, but an opportunity to restore credibility through a properly conducted primary election.