Primaries

  A Federal High Court, Ado Ekiti Division, on Tuesday, ordered the Peoples Democratic Party to conduct a fresh governorship primary poll to elect its candidate. The judge, Justice Babs Kuewumi, gave the order after he nullified the PDP primaries, which was held on November 8, where Dr Wole Oluyede emerged the party’s candidate. An aspirant in the primaries, Funso Ayeni, dissatisfied with the outcome of the polls, had approached the court seeking, among others, cancellation of the exercise, citing failure to meet the party’s guidelines and constitution. Ayeni had, through his counsel, Kola Kolade SAN, approached the court in a suit marked FHC/AD/CS/29/2025, saying that “the party (PDP) failed to present the original and authentic list of statutory and ad hoc delegates used for the exercise”. The plaintiff argued that the absence of the original delegates’ list constituted a fundamental breach of the PDP guidelines and the Electoral Act, thereby rendering the primary election invalid. In his judgment on Tuesday, Kuewumi held that “the conduct of the primary election did not comply with the provisions of the law and the party’s constitution. “Consequently, the primary election is hereby nullified,” he declared, ordering the PDP in conjunction with the Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct a fresh governorship primary election in strict compliance with the law and relevant guidelines.” Kuewumi directed that all eligible aspirants be allowed to participate in the fresh primary election to ensure transparency, fairness, and internal democracy within the party. Reacting to the judgment, counsel to Oluyede, Owoseni Ajayi, who expressed dissatisfaction with the court verdict, said that the judgment would be appealed, adding that Oluyede would file for a stay of execution. Recall that Oluyede’s name was excluded from the list of governorship candidates for the June 20 governorship election published by INEC on December 29. Oluyede had vowed that he would challenge the situation and explore all available means to ensure his name was restored to the list so that he could participate in the election and win.