The Court of Appeal sitting in Akure has upheld the validity of the Peoples Democratic Party primary election in Ekiti State and confirmed Dr. Wole Oluyede as the party’s governorship candidate for the 2026 election.
Dr. Wole Oluyede won the Peoples Democratic Party governorship primary in Ekiti State in November 2025. A Federal High Court in Ado‑Ekiti earlier nullified that primary, prompting an appeal by the PDP.
Ekiti State is preparing for its governorship election scheduled for June 20, 2026, with political parties finalising candidate lists.
A three‑member panel of the Court of Appeal led by Hon. Justice Peter Chudi Obiorah and including Hon.
Justice Jane Esienanwan Inyang and Hon. Justice Peter O. Affen delivered the judgment on Thursday.
The appellate court overturned the earlier ruling of the Federal High Court in Ado‑Ekiti, which had nullified the PDP primary held on November 8 and 9, 2025.
The judges held that the primary was conducted in compliance with the PDP constitution and the Electoral Act.
The party’s Southwest Publicity Secretary and Director of Media for the Ekiti governorship campaign, Sanya Atofarati, welcomed the judgment.
He described the ruling as a step towards respect for democratic processes.
Atofarati said the judiciary had shown that “democracy thrives when there is respect for internal political structures and conflict resolution” and that the decision was a victory for the people of Ekiti State.
By affirming the PDP primary, the Court of Appeal has cleared the way for Dr. Oluyede to remain on the ballot as the recognised candidate of the party in the upcoming Ekiti governorship election.
The ruling resolves a legal dispute over the validity of the nomination process that had threatened to exclude the PDP from the contest.
