By Egalitarian Voice Investigative Desk
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has removed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate from the Ekiti State governorship list, a development that has sparked controversy and renewed debate over internal party democracy and compliance with Nigeria’s electoral laws.
Findings by Egalitarian Voice reveal that the action was not an isolated decision by INEC but one rooted in legal precedents and internal party disputes, similar to what played out in Zamfara State in 2019 and Rivers State in 2023.
INEC’s Position: Law Above Sentiment
INEC officials, speaking off record, maintained that the commission acted within the confines of the Electoral Act 2022, which mandates that only candidates who emerge from valid and verifiable party primaries can be listed for elections.
According to investigations, the Ekiti PDP primary was marred by:
- Internal factional disagreements
- Allegations of procedural irregularities
- Pending court cases challenging the legitimacy of the process
- Faced with conflicting claims and litigation, INEC opted to remove the PDP candidate to avoid acting in contempt of court.
Beyond the Noise: What INEC Can—and Cannot—Do
Contrary to popular belief, INEC does not possess the constitutional power to arbitrarily disqualify candidates. Its duty is administrative: to publish candidates that emerge from lawful primaries conducted in strict compliance with the Electoral Act 2022 and party constitutions.
Once that process is compromised, INEC’s hands are effectively tied.
Zamfara 2019: A Costly Precedent
The Ekiti situation draws strong parallels with the Zamfara APC crisis of 2019, where the ruling party failed to conduct valid primaries.
In that landmark case, the Supreme Court ruled that APC had no candidates in the election, declaring all votes cast for the party as wasted votes and awarding victory to the PDP.
That judgment established a firm legal principle:
A party that fails to comply with electoral laws cannot benefit from the election.
Rivers APC 2023: History Repeated
A similar scenario unfolded in Rivers State during the 2023 governorship election, where internal leadership tussles within the APC resulted in parallel primaries and prolonged court battles.
The courts eventually nullified the process, forcing INEC to exclude APC from the governorship ballot entirely.
Analysts say Rivers reaffirmed that INEC has no discretion where courts have ruled on party primaries.
Ekiti PDP: Internal Crisis Takes Its Toll
Egalitarian Voice investigations indicate that the Ekiti PDP crisis followed a familiar pattern:
- Failure to resolve disputes internally
- Legal challenges allowed to linger until critical deadlines
- Reliance on political pressure rather than legal compliance
INEC’s action, observers note, mirrors its approach in Zamfara and Rivers — stepping back where the law is unclear or disputed.
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Analysts React
Political analysts argue that the repeated exclusion of major parties from ballots poses a danger to democratic choice.
“This is no longer about INEC,” said a governance expert. “It is about political parties refusing to learn from past mistakes.”
Egalitarian Voice Insight
From Zamfara to Rivers and now Ekiti, one message is consistent:
Internal party failures now carry electoral consequences.
INEC’s removal of the Ekiti PDP candidate underscores a growing reality in Nigeria’s democracy — courts and compliance, not party influence, determine who appears on the ballot.
Egalitarian Voice will continue to monitor developments and provide fact-based reporting that places the people and the law above politics.
