The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has launched legal action against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to compel the inclusion of its candidate, Dr. Oluwole Oluyede, in the upcoming Ekiti State governorship election scheduled for June 20, 2026.
PDP National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, described Oluyede’s exclusion as a “threat to a free and credible electoral process.” Oluyede had emerged victorious in the party’s primary, held from the night of November 8 into the early hours of November 9.
Ememobong accused INEC of bias against the Taminu Turaki-led National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP. He argued that INEC was fully aware of the primaries, monitored them, and even issued reports confirming their legality. Despite this, the commission allegedly blocked the party’s nomination portal code days before submission, forcing the PDP to submit Oluyede’s nomination manually—an action acknowledged by INEC.
“There is no court order or submission disputing Oluyede’s nomination,” Ememobong stressed. “INEC should have acted responsibly by including him in the published list of candidates. Its failure to do so raises questions about impartiality.”
The PDP warned INEC to uphold its mandate as a defender of democracy. “Having failed to act appropriately, we have approached the courts to compel INEC to do what it ought to have done. Nigerians expect the commission to remain independent, neutral, and fair in all electoral matters,” Ememobong added.
Meanwhile, PDP presidential aspirant Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim called on the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) to rise above factionalism and resolve the internal crisis without litigation. He emphasized that the party has sufficient constitutional authority under Sections 3(1) and 3(4) of its Constitution to convene a legitimate NEC meeting and settle the dispute.
Hashim urged NEC members to act with courage, warning that continued internal paralysis could weaken the PDP’s credibility as an opposition party and undermine Nigeria’s democratic balance.
In response, Turaki expressed gratitude to Hashim for prioritizing party unity and assured that his leadership remains open to reconciliation, provided it does not compromise stability or unity.
The dispute stems from internal factional divisions within the PDP. While PDP governors endorsed the Ibadan convention that elected Turaki (SAN) and the NWC on November 16, a Wike-aligned faction, led by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mohammed Abdulrahman, and Senator Anyanwu, claimed to still hold leadership positions. This faction also appointed a 13-member caretaker committee on December 8 with a 60-day mandate. Both factions have been seeking recognition from INEC, which has so far refused to formally recognize any candidate for the Ekiti governorship election.
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