PDP Launches Legal Battle Against INEC Over Ekiti Governorship Candidate Exclusion
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has initiated legal proceedings against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), seeking to compel the electoral body to include its designated candidate, Oluwole Oluyede, in the upcoming Ekiti State governorship election. The party asserts that the exclusion of its candidate represents a significant impediment to a fair and transparent electoral process. The election is slated to take place on June 20, 2026.
Dr. Oluyede emerged victorious in the PDP’s primary election, which concluded in the early hours of November 9, following its commencement on November 8. The PDP has voiced strong accusations of bias against INEC, specifically targeting the Taminu Turaki-led National Working Committee (NWC) of the party.
Ini Ememobong, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, articulated the party’s stance, stating, “The exclusion of the name and particulars of our candidate from the list of candidates for the 2026 governorship election in Ekiti State by INEC is yet another confirmation of the biased disposition of the current leadership of the commission towards the affairs of the Peoples Democratic Party.”
Ememobong further highlighted that INEC was fully apprised of the primary election’s proceedings. The commission not only attended and monitored the exercise but also issued reports validating that the primaries were conducted in accordance with legal frameworks. Following this, INEC reportedly provided the PDP with the necessary nomination portal access codes. However, the party alleges that these codes were subsequently and “disingenuously blocked” just days before the submission deadline, forcing the PDP to resort to a manual submission of nomination forms at INEC’s office, an act for which they possess acknowledged receipt.
Crucially, the PDP emphasized that there is no existing court order or any contrary submission filed with INEC that challenges the nomination of Dr. Oluwole Oluyede.
Allegations of Bias and the Path Forward
Ememobong underscored the gravity of excluding a legitimately nominated candidate, asserting that INEC “ought to have acted with caution and responsibility.” The party argues that including Dr. Oluyede’s name on the published candidate list would have been the “safest and most lawful course of action” for the commission, had it operated without prejudice.
The PDP’s spokesperson reiterated that there are no competing claims or legal injunctions preventing INEC from recognizing Dr. Oluyede as the PDP’s candidate. He pointed to INEC’s own monitoring reports as evidence of the validity of both the primaries and the nomination process.
The PDP issued a stern warning to INEC, urging the commission to uphold its fundamental role as a guardian of democracy. “Having failed to act appropriately, our party has immediately taken steps to approach the courts to compel INEC to do what it ought to have done in the first place,” Ememobong declared. He added, “While we undertake this long and tortuous legal route, we once again draw the attention of INEC to the expectations of Nigerians that the commission must remain independent, impartial, and neutral in matters relating to political parties and the electoral process.”
He concluded with a stark analogy, stating, “While we acknowledge the saying that he who pays the piper calls the tune, the commission must be conscious that the tune currently being dictated is dangerously high-pitched and will ultimately harm the piper. INEC must always act in defence of democracy, and never in antagonism to it.”
Internal PDP Crisis and Calls for Resolution
In a related development, Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, a presidential aspirant and prominent PDP chieftain, has appealed to the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) to transcend factional divides and address the ongoing internal crisis. Hashim maintains that the PDP possesses the constitutional mandate to resolve the impasse internally, obviating the need for litigation.
According to Hashim, a sufficient number of legitimate NEC members can convene a meeting to resolve the crisis within a week. He cited Sections 3(1) and 3(4) of the PDP Constitution, which empower two-thirds of NEC members to call for a meeting. He further asserted that the majority of NEC members were elected prior to the disputed Ibadan convention, thereby retaining their “unquestionable legitimacy.”
Hashim also clarified that while the tenure of certain NWC members concluded on December 8, the pre-Ibadan NEC members retain the constitutional authority to intervene and implement corrective measures. “What is required now is courage and responsibility. NEC members must rise above factional interests and stand for posterity, for the party, and for the nation,” he urged. He warned that the party’s continued internal paralysis could erode its standing as a credible opposition and destabilize Nigeria’s democratic equilibrium.
Responding to Hashim’s appeal, Taminu Turaki expressed gratitude for his commitment to party unity. Turaki assured that his leadership remains amenable to reconciliation efforts, provided they do not compromise the party’s stability, unity, or continued existence.
The underlying dispute within the PDP is attributed to deep-seated factional disagreements. While PDP governors reportedly endorsed the Ibadan convention, which led to the election of Turaki and other NWC members for a four-year term on November 16, a faction aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, purportedly led by key allies, insists on maintaining their positions as Acting National Chairman and Acting National Secretary. This opposing faction also established a 13-member caretaker committee on December 8 with a 60-day mandate. Since then, both factions have been vying for official recognition from INEC, which has so far declined to recognize any single individual as the PDP’s candidate for the Ekiti election.
