KEY POINTS

• The Court of Appeal in Akure has affirmed Wole Oluyede as the PDP governorship candidate for the 2026 Ekiti election.

• The appellate court overturned a Federal High Court ruling that had nullified the PDP primary election.

• The court held that the November 2025 PDP primary was valid and conducted in line with the Electoral Act and party constitution.

The Court of Appeal sitting in Akure, Ondo State, has overturned the earlier judgment of the Federal High Court in Ado-Ekiti which nullified the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primary election in Ekiti State.

In its ruling, the appellate court affirmed that Wole Oluyede is the duly nominated governorship candidate of the PDP for the 2026 Ekiti State governorship election.

The appellate court delivered its judgment through a unanimous decision by a three-member panel led by Justice Peter Chudi Obiorah. The panel also included Justices Jane Esienanwan Inyang and Peter O. Affen.

The court set aside the earlier ruling of the Federal High Court, which had invalidated the party’s primary election that produced Oluyede as its candidate.

According to the appellate court, the governorship primary election conducted by the PDP’s National Working Committee (NWC), led by Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, was valid and complied with the party’s constitution as well as the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022.

Court Validates PDP Primary Election

The Court of Appeal held that the PDP primary election held on November 8 and 9, 2025, which produced Oluyede as the party’s governorship candidate, was conducted in a transparent manner and in line with relevant electoral guidelines.

The court therefore ruled that the process was legitimate and upheld the outcome of the exercise.

The judgment effectively reversed the decision of the Federal High Court in Ado-Ekiti, which had on January 13, 2026, nullified the primary election.

Following the earlier ruling of the lower court, the PDP had filed an appeal challenging the decision and seeking to restore the outcome of the primary election.

With Thursday’s ruling by the Court of Appeal, the appellate court allowed the party’s appeal and set aside the Federal High Court judgment.

The decision brings an end to months of legal disputes surrounding the PDP governorship ticket ahead of the 2026 governorship election in Ekiti State.