INEC Confirms Oluyede As PDP’s Ekiti Governorship Candidate

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has officially listed Wole Oluyede as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the Ekiti State governorship election scheduled for June 20. The commission also named Ogunsakin Ayodeji as the party’s deputy governorship candidate.

INEC spokesperson Adedayo Oketola confirmed the publication on Thursday, noting that the decision followed the judgment of the Court of Appeal in Akure, Ondo State. According to him, the inclusion of Oluyede’s name aligns with the appellate court’s directive.

Oluyede’s name had previously been omitted from INEC’s candidate list released in January. However, on March 12, the Court of Appeal ordered the electoral body to recognize and publish him as the PDP candidate for the Ekiti governorship race.

A three-member panel of the appellate court, led by Justice Peter Chudi Obiorah, unanimously set aside an earlier ruling by the Federal High Court in Ado-Ekiti that had nullified the PDP primary election that produced Oluyede. The panel held that the primary election was conducted in accordance with the party’s constitution and the Electoral Act.

Oluyede, a medical expert, secured the PDP governorship ticket during the party’s primary in November, polling 279 votes to defeat his closest rival, Funso Ayeni, who garnered 239 votes. The primary election was overseen by the PDP National Working Committee under the leadership of Kabiru Turaki.