By Stephen Adeyinka, Ado Ekiti
Friday March 6, 2026
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A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to restore the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Oluwole Oluyede, to the ballot for the 2026 Ekiti State governorship election.
Delivering judgment in suit FHC/ABJ/CS/40/2026, the court presided over by Justice Umar granted all the reliefs sought by Oluyede and the PDP against INEC.
The court faulted the exclusion of Oluyede, who emerged as the PDP governorship candidate in Ekiti, and directed the electoral commission to immediately recognise him and include his name, as well as the party’s logo, on the ballot for the forthcoming governorship election in Ekiti State.
Justice Umar further issued a perpetual injunction restraining INEC from rejecting or excluding Oluyede from any activities relating to the forthcoming governorship election in the state.
Oluyede had earlier been presented with a certificate of return by the National Chairman of the PDP, Kabiru Turaki, as the party’s candidate for the 2026 Ekiti governorship election.
However, INEC, under the leadership of its Chairman, Joash Amupitan, declined to include his name on the list of candidates, prompting the candidate and the party to challenge the decision in court.
Reacting to the judgment, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, welcomed the ruling, describing it as a confirmation that justice had been served.
According to him, the judgment affirms the reality of the situation in Ekiti State and underscores the importance of adherence to the rule of law.
He urged INEC to operate within the confines of the law and avoid what he described as unbridled partisanship.
“The Commission is aware of several judgments to the effect that it cannot exclude lawfully nominated candidates, as in the instant case. They should remember the historic negative roles which past electoral commissions played in the collapse of democracy in the past republics and consciously act in favour of protecting multi-party democracy,” he said.
Ememobong added that with the court ruling, the PDP was ready to intensify its campaign ahead of the election.
“With this over, the path to victory in the Ekiti Governorship election is clear, and we charge our members to hit the campaign trail with their message of redemption through the candidature of Dr. Oluwole Oluyede,” he added.
Also reacting to the judgment, the Ekiti State PDP Chairman, Tunji Odeyemi, and the Director-General of the Oluyede Campaign Council, Makanjuola Ogundipe, described the ruling as a major relief and a signal for the party to intensify preparations for the election.
They expressed optimism that the party and its candidate would overcome the remaining legal hurdles and emerge victorious in the governorship election scheduled for June 20.
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