A Federal High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, has nullified the emergence of Dr. Wole Oluyede as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state and ordered the conduct of fresh party primaries.
Delivering the judgment, Justice Babs Kuewumi upheld the claims of irregularities raised by Prince Funso Ayeni, who challenged the outcome of the PDP primary election.
Ayeni had approached the court, alleging that the approved delegate list was manipulated on the day of the primary, a development he argued undermined transparency, internal democracy, and fairness in the exercise.
In its ruling, the court held that the conduct of the primary election amounted to a gross abuse of process, violated the PDP’s electoral guidelines, and breached fundamental principles guiding political parties. Justice Kuewumi ruled that such actions were inconsistent with both the party’s constitution and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which binds all individuals and institutions without exception.
Reacting to the judgment, the South-West Zonal Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Sanya Atofarati, said the party retains the right to appeal the decision, expressing confidence that the PDP’s legal team would take immediate steps to challenge the ruling.
Atofarati added that the judgment would not disrupt the party’s preparations for the forthcoming election, noting that a campaign committee has already been constituted and grassroots mobilisation is ongoing across Ekiti State ahead of the June 20 governorship poll.
He described the lawsuit as a conspiracy against the PDP and its candidate, insisting that the party’s primary election was free and fair, as reportedly confirmed by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) who monitored the exercise.
