A Federal High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti has nullified the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primary election conducted in Ekiti State, ordering the party to hold a fresh exercise ahead of the 2026 governorship poll.

The court ruled that the primary which produced Dr Wole Oluyede as the PDP candidate was conducted in breach of the Electoral Act and the party’s internal guidelines.

Delivering judgment on Tuesday, January 13, Justice Babs Kuewumi upheld the suit filed by a governorship aspirant, Mr Funsho Ayeni, who challenged the validity of the exercise.

Ayeni had dragged the PDP and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before the court, alleging that the party failed to present the original and authentic list of statutory and ad hoc delegates used for the primary election.

According to him, the absence of a valid delegates’ list amounted to a fundamental violation of the Electoral Act and the PDP constitution, rendering the entire exercise invalid.

In his ruling, Justice Kuewumi agreed with the claimant, describing the conduct of the primary as unlawful and irregular.

“The failure to present the original and authentic list of delegates is a clear violation of the party’s guidelines and the Electoral Act,” the judge held.

He consequently set aside the outcome of the primary and directed the PDP, in collaboration with INEC, to organise a fresh governorship primary strictly in line with the law and relevant party rules.

The court further ordered that all eligible aspirants must be allowed to participate in the new primary, stressing that transparency, fairness and internal democracy must be upheld.

Justice Kuewumi noted that strict adherence to due process was critical to the credibility of party primaries, especially as preparations intensify for the 2026 governorship election in Ekiti State.

Dr Oluyede had emerged winner of the PDP primary conducted on November 8, 2025, after polling 279 votes to defeat Mr Funsho Ayeni and Mrs Funmi Ogun. The exercise was supervised by an electoral committee led by former Gombe State governor, Senator Ibrahim Dankwambo.

Dissatisfied with the outcome, Ayeni instituted the suit marked FHC/AD/CS/29/2025, challenging Oluyede’s emergence on grounds of non-compliance with party guidelines.

During the hearing, Mr Kola Kolade, SAN, led Ayeni’s legal team, while Dr Oluyede was represented by Mr Ola Olanipekun, SAN, and Mr Owoseni Ajayi, SAN. The PDP was represented by its legal adviser in Osun State, Mr Ola Alonge.

The ruling also reinforces growing judicial scrutiny of party primaries and internal democracy as Nigeria moves closer to another major election cycle.