Court Orders INEC to Restore PDP Candidate for Ekiti Governorship Election

A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to restore the name of Wole Oluyede as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the June 20, 2026, Ekiti State governorship election.

In a judgment delivered on Friday, the court ruled that INEC acted outside its legal powers by failing to publish the name of the PDP candidate after the party had conducted its primary election.

The presiding judge held that the electoral body’s refusal to list Oluyede as the party’s flagbearer was “illegal and unlawful,” noting that the action effectively excluded the party from participating in the forthcoming poll.

The court therefore granted the reliefs sought by the applicant and issued an Order of Mandamus, compelling INEC to immediately include and publish Oluyede’s name on the official list of candidates for the Ekiti governorship election.

According to the judgment, INEC does not possess the discretionary power to unilaterally disqualify or refuse the publication of a candidate duly submitted by a recognized political party without a valid legal basis.

The court further declared that the commission’s action in omitting the PDP candidate from the list of contestants was contrary to the provisions of the Electoral Act and undermined the rights of the political party to participate in the democratic process.

The ruling is expected to reshape the political landscape ahead of the Ekiti governorship election scheduled for June 20, 2026, as it restores the participation of the PDP in the race.

Political observers say the judgment could significantly alter campaign dynamics in the state, with the opposition party now set to rejoin the contest following the court’s directive to the electoral commission.