Court Confirms Oluyede As PDP Candidate For 2026 Ekiti Governorship

The Court of Appeal of Nigeria sitting in Akure has affirmed Wole Oluyede as the duly nominated governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2026 governorship election in Ekiti State.

In a unanimous judgment delivered on Thursday, a three-member appellate panel set aside the earlier ruling of the Federal High Court of Nigeria in Ado-Ekiti, which had nullified the party’s primary election.

The panel, led by Peter Chudi Obiorah, and comprising Justices Jane Esienanwan Inyang and Peter O. Affen, held that the PDP primary election that produced Oluyede was valid and conducted in line with the party’s constitution and the provisions of the Electoral Act.

The court also affirmed that the primary election organised by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party, led by Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, was lawful, transparent and properly conducted.

The Federal High Court in Ado-Ekiti had earlier, on January 13, 2026, nullified the Ekiti PDP governorship primary held on November 8 and 9, 2025.

Dissatisfied with that decision, the PDP approached the appellate court, seeking to overturn the judgment of the lower court.

In its ruling on Thursday, the Court of Appeal allowed the appeal and set aside the earlier judgment, declaring that the primary election that produced Oluyede was validly conducted.

The ruling effectively resolves the dispute that had trailed the party’s preparations for the 2026 Ekiti governorship election, paving the way for the PDP to proceed into the poll with Oluyede as its candidate.