December 30, 2025 | News | SUNTV Global Channel
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has announced plans to challenge the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in court over the exclusion of its governorship candidate from the official list of contestants for the 2026 Ekiti State election.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong, accused INEC of acting with bias following the omission of Dr. Oluwole Oluyede’s name and details from the commission’s published candidates’ list.
The PDP described the development as “yet another confirmation of the biased disposition of the current leadership of the Commission towards the affairs of the Peoples Democratic Party.”
According to the party, INEC was properly notified ahead of its governorship primaries and fully monitored the exercise. It added that the electoral body later issued reports confirming that the primaries were conducted in line with existing laws and democratic standards.
“For the avoidance of doubt, INEC was duly notified of the conduct of our party’s governorship primaries,” the statement said.
“The Commission attended and monitored the exercise and subsequently issued reports confirming that the primaries complied with all extant laws and were democratically conducted.”
The PDP further alleged that although INEC initially issued nomination portal access codes to enable the party complete its submissions electronically, the codes were allegedly blocked just days before the deadline. This, the party said, forced it to submit the required documents manually at INEC’s office—a submission it claimed was formally acknowledged.
The opposition party stressed that no petition or court order was filed challenging Dr. Oluyede’s nomination, nor was there any legal restraint preventing INEC from recognising him as its duly nominated candidate.
“There is also no court order restraining the Commission from recognising him as the PDP’s candidate. Indeed, INEC’s own monitoring report attests to the validity of the primaries and the nomination process,” the statement added.
The PDP argued that INEC ought to have exercised caution by including its candidate’s name, describing such action as “the safest and most lawful course.”
Confirming legal action, the party said it had already commenced proceedings to compel INEC to reverse its decision and recognise Dr. Oluyede as the PDP candidate for the Ekiti governorship election.
The party also warned the electoral body to maintain neutrality, cautioning that any perceived bias could erode public confidence in the democratic process.
