By Our Correspondent
The Court of Appeal in Akure has delivered a landmark judgment affirming Dr. Olumayokun Oluwole Oluyede as the validly nominated governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the forthcoming election in Ekiti State.
In a ruling delivered on Tuesday, a three-man panel of the appellate court overturned the decision of the Federal High Court in Ado-Ekiti, which had previously nullified the primary election that produced Dr. Oluyede.
Justice Babs Kuewumi of the Federal High Court had, on January 13, 2026, voided the PDP primaries, ruling that they were not in substantial compliance with the provisions of the Constitution, the Electoral Act, and the PDP Constitution.
Dissatisfied with the judgement, the PDP, under the leadership of its National Chairman, Kabiru Turaki, SAN, approached the Court of Appeal to challenge the decision.
Ruling on the appeal, the three-man panel—comprising Justices Peter Obiorah, Jane Inyang, and Peter Affen—held that the trial court erred in its interpretation of the law. The justices unanimously agreed that the primaries were conducted in substantial compliance with all extant laws and guidelines governing party primaries.
Consequently, the court held that the certificate of return issued to Dr. Oluyede by the PDP is valid and must be recognized by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Reacting to the judgment, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Comrade Ini Ememobong, described the ruling as a victory for democracy and the will of the people.
“We encourage all our supporters in Ekiti to double their campaign efforts to ensure that the PDP wins the governorship election and gives to the people of the state the qualitative leadership that our candidate and party offer,” Ememobong said in a press statement.
The judgment puts to rest the legal battle over the PDP ticket in Ekiti, clearing the path for Dr. Oluyede to contest in the upcoming gubernatorial poll.
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