Court Upholds Ekiti PDP Ward Congress

By Ayodele Oni

A High Court sitting in Ado Ekiti, has nullified the list of Ward Excos of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the State unilaterally submitted by the sacked Caretaker Chairman, Dare Adeleke, to the National Working Committee, (NWC) of the party.

The list of the Ward Excos of the Party became a contentious issue in the State following submission of names of those that did not participate in the ward Congress.

In Friday’s judgement in a Suit Number: HAD/63/2025 filed by a member of the party, Afolabi Adedeji against PDP & 4ORS, Justice Omotoso of the Ekiti State High Court validated the winners of the ward congress election held on the 15th of March 2025.

The Congress was conducted and signed by the returning officer, Afolabi Adekanmbi, who was the Chairman of the ward Congress election committee appointed by the PDP NWC to oversee the election and return the winners.

The Court held that election guidelines are for serious purposes, and once followed to the latter and winners emerge, denying winners of their victory amounts to a total miscarriage of justice.

The Court held further that it was proved beyond reasonable doubt that the winners of the March 15th 2025 ward congress election across the wards followed the PDP ward Congress election guidelines from the begining to the end, leading to their eventual victories.

“The winners with evidence paid to the National PDP bank account in UBA for congress forms and obtained the forms, stood for the ward congress election, won, and were given duplicate result sheets as evidence of participation and  victories.

“After this, the election was further subjected to Appeal panel review by the National working committee of PDP where the appeal panel in their reports further confirmed and ratified the election as free, fair and credible, thus validating the process and winners as true winners.

“This is the end of the process according to PDP guidelines and constitution!

“Not allowing the winners to enjoy their victories amounts to robbing Peter to pay Paul, and no decent society will allow this to fester.”

The Court, therefore, ordered the Defendants; PDP NEC and NWC including the acting National Chairman of the Party, Ilya Damagum, the National Organising Secretary of PDP,  Umar Bature as well as the INEC and their proxies to recognise only the authentic winners of the march 15th 2025 ward Congress election.

The Court also ordered that it is only these authentic winners that can legally participate in the remaining local government and state congresses of PDP for the purpose of electing local and State excos of the party in Ekiti state, and any action taken different from the above is a nullity.

The Court also nullified the LG congress of PDP, which was hurriedly carried out during the pendency of the suit and all other actions taken by any organ of the party or INEC during the pendency of this case were declared a nullity.