The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has announced its decision to seek legal redress against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for failing to include its candidate in the official list for the 2026 Ekiti State governorship election.
PDP Accuses INEC of Bias and Procedural Breach
In a strongly-worded statement released on 30 December 2025 by its National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong, the party accused the electoral body of showing bias. The PDP described the omission of its flagbearer, Dr Oluwole Oluyede, as completely unjustified and a violation of established electoral guidelines.
The party maintains that INEC was properly notified of its governorship primaries in Ekiti State and that its officials were present to monitor the exercise. According to the PDP, the Commission later issued reports confirming that the primaries were conducted in full compliance with the relevant laws and democratic principles.
The Sequence of Events Leading to the Dispute
The PDP outlined a series of events that culminated in the current standoff. The party stated that after the validated primaries, INEC provided the necessary nomination portal access codes. This allowed the party to begin the process of submitting its candidate's details electronically.
However, the PDP alleges that INEC deliberately blocked access to the portal just a few days before the submission deadline. This forced the party to resort to a manual submission of Dr Oluyede's nomination documents directly at INEC's office, a submission for which they received an official acknowledgment.
The party emphasized that there is no competing claim to the PDP ticket in Ekiti State and no court order preventing INEC from recognizing Dr Oluyede as its legitimate candidate. It argued that INEC's own monitoring report serves as validation for both the primary election and the subsequent nomination process.
Legal Recourse and Call for Impartiality
Consequently, the PDP has commenced legal proceedings to obtain a court order that will compel INEC to include Dr Oluyede's name in the final list of contestants for the 2026 poll. The party contends that INEC, aware of the serious implications of excluding a duly nominated candidate, should have acted with more caution.
"The exclusion of the name and particulars of our candidate... is yet another confirmation of the biased disposition of the current leadership of the Commission towards the affairs of the PDP," the statement read.
The opposition party has also called on INEC to uphold the core principles of independence, impartiality, and neutrality in the discharge of its constitutional duties, especially as the election cycle approaches.
