The Federal High Court has reaffirmed Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji as the substantive candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2026 Ekiti governorship election, following the dismissal of a suit challenging his candidacy.
The case, Abimbola Olajumoke Olawumi v. APC & INEC, was instituted by Abimbola Olajumoke Olawumi after she was screened out of the APC primary. She had sought to invalidate Oyebanji’s emergence as the party’s candidate.
Delivering judgment, the court held that the suit lacked merit and was statute-barred, noting that pre-election matters must be filed within 14 days as stipulated by law. It found that Oyebanji could not be validly joined in the case months after it was filed, rendering the action incompetent against him.
The court further ruled that it was legally impossible to nullify Oyebanji’s candidacy without him being a party to the suit. Consequently, once his name was struck out of the proceedings, the entire case collapsed.
During the final hearing, counsel to the governor, led by Tunji Oso, had argued that the suit was incompetent and constituted an abuse of court process. The court agreed with this position and dismissed the case in its entirety
The judgment effectively clears all legal obstacles surrounding Oyebanji’s candidacy ahead of the June 20, 2026 governorship election, confirming him as the APC flagbearer.
Following the ruling, the Oyebanji camp expressed jubilation, describing the verdict as a victory for justice, due process, and internal party democracy. Supporters also congratulated members of the APC across Ekiti State, urging unity as the election approaches.
With the legal dispute now resolved, political attention is expected to shift fully to the governorship race, where Oyebanji will face candidates from other parties, including Wole Oluyede of the PDP and Dare Bejide of the ADC.
