BREAKING: Appeal Court Affirms Wole Oluyede as PDP Governorship Candidate in Ekiti

The Court of Appeal sitting in Akure has affirmed Dr. Wole Oluyede as the duly nominated governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the forthcoming Ekiti State governorship election.

In a unanimous judgment delivered on Thursday, a three-member panel led by Peter Chudi Obiorah, alongside Jane Esienanwan Inyang and Peter O. Affen, set aside the earlier ruling of the Federal High Court in Ado-Ekiti which had nullified the party’s primary election.

The appellate court held that the primary election conducted by the National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) under the leadership of Kabiru Tanimu Turaki was valid, transparent and in compliance with both the party’s constitution and the Electoral Act.

The Federal High Court in Ado-Ekiti had on January 13, 2026 nullified the PDP governorship primary election held on November 8 and 9, 2025, which produced Wole Oluyede as the party’s candidate.

Dissatisfied with that judgment, the PDP challenged the ruling at the appellate court. In its decision on Thursday, the Court of Appeal allowed the appeal and overturned the earlier judgment.

The court further declared that the primary election was duly conducted and in line with the relevant legal provisions.

The ruling effectively resolves the internal leadership and candidacy disputes that had trailed the party’s preparations for the 2026 governorship election in Ekiti State.

With the judgment, the court has provided legal clarity that could allow the PDP to proceed into the election with a unified position behind its candidate.