The Federal High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti has voided the emergence of Dr. Wole Oluyede as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State, ordering the party to conduct a fresh primary election.
Justice Babs Kuewumi, who delivered the ruling, upheld the claims of one of the aspirants, Prince Funso Ayeni, who had approached the court to challenge the credibility of the primary that produced Oluyede. Ayeni alleged that the delegate list approved for the exercise was altered on the day of the election, thereby compromising the integrity of the process.
In his judgment, Justice Kuewumi ruled that the primary was marred by irregularities and a blatant disregard for the party’s internal guidelines. He described the conduct of the exercise as a gross abuse of process, stating that it violated the principles of transparency, fairness and internal democracy as enshrined in the PDP constitution and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The court consequently sacked Oluyede as the PDP governorship candidate and directed the party to organise a fresh primary in line with its rules.
Reacting to the verdict, the South-West Zonal Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Sanya Atofarati, said the party was already studying the judgment with a view to filing an appeal. He expressed confidence in the party’s legal team, stressing that the ruling was not the end of the matter.
Atofarati also insisted that the judgment would not derail the party’s preparations for the June 20 governorship election in Ekiti State. He disclosed that a campaign committee had already been inaugurated and that mobilisation had commenced across the 16 local government areas of the state.
According to him, the challenge to the primary was part of a wider conspiracy aimed at weakening the PDP at a time when Ekiti residents were eager for a change of government due to what he described as the poor performance of the current administration.
“The delegates freely elected Dr. Wole Oluyede after a thorough primary process monitored by INEC officials,” he said, adding that some of the aspirants who initially filed suits had withdrawn their cases, leaving only one petitioner before the court.
He maintained that the party remained resolute, assuring members and supporters that PDP would not be distracted by the setback. “Our campaign machinery is already in motion. Mobilisation is ongoing from unit to unit and ward to ward across the state. We will continue to engage Ekiti people and pursue all legal options available to us,” he added.
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