Appeal Court Affirms Wole Oluyede As PDP Candidate For Ekiti Guber Election

The Court of Appeal in Akure has confirmed Wole Oluyede as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2026 election in Ekiti State.

In a unanimous ruling delivered on Thursday, a three-member panel of the appellate court overturned an earlier judgment by the Federal High Court in Ado-Ekiti, which had cancelled the party’s primary election.

The panel, headed by Peter Chudi Obiorah, ruled that the PDP primary election that produced Oluyede followed the party’s constitution and the provisions of the Electoral Act.

The other judges on the panel were Jane Esienanwan Inyang and Peter O. Affen.

The court also stated that the primary election organised by the party’s PDP National Working Committee (NWC), under the leadership of Kabiru Turaki, was valid and properly conducted

Wole Oluyede, a medical professional, emerged as the PDP governorship candidate in November after winning the party’s primary election.

He scored 279 votes, defeating his main rival, Funso Ayeni, who received 239 votes.

The primary election was conducted by the party’s NWC with the support of Seyi Makinde.

Earlier, on January 13, the Federal High Court in Ado-Ekiti had cancelled the PDP primary held on November 8 and 9, 2025.

The party later challenged that ruling at the Court of Appeal.

In its latest judgment, the appellate court upheld the party’s appeal, reversed the decision of the lower court, and declared the primary election that produced Oluyede as valid.

ALSO READ: 2026 Ekiti Guber: Court Sacks PDP Candidate Wole Oluyede, Orders New Primaries