Senator Olubiyi Fadeyi, representing Osun East Senatorial District, has dismissed claims that the Supreme Court’s latest judgment on the Electoral Act 2026 has jeopardised his ambition to return to the Senate in the 2027 general elections.
Fadeyi, who is seeking re-election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), maintained that the process through which he emerged as the party’s candidate complied with the Constitution, electoral laws and the party’s internal guidelines.
The lawmaker made the clarification in a statement released in Osogbo on Saturday, amid speculations that Thursday’s Supreme Court judgment could affect his candidacy.
He described the reports suggesting that his re-election bid had been terminated as unfounded, alleging that those circulating them were political opponents unsettled by his popularity ahead of the 2027 elections.
“For clarity sake, there is no clear evidence of Fadeyi’s disqualification from any court sitting, hence, the report of his alleged disqualification remains speculative and unfounded,” the statement said.
The senator insisted that neither he nor the PDP was a party to the legal dispute that culminated in the Supreme Court judgment.
According to him, the case involved the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other political parties that challenged aspects of the electoral law.
Supreme Court ruling on Electoral Act
The Supreme Court on Thursday, September 24, upheld INEC’s appeal against the Court of Appeal judgment that had voided provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 concerning political party membership registers and candidate nomination.
A seven-member panel led by Justice Adamu Jauro set aside the appellate court’s decision and restored the Federal High Court judgment dismissing the ZLP’s suit.
The apex court held that Sections 77(5) and 84 of the Electoral Act did not conflict with the 1999 Constitution and awarded N2 million in costs against the ZLP.
The disputed provisions regulate the submission and use of political parties’ membership registers and the procedures for nominating candidates for elective positions.
Section 77(5) provides that only members whose names appear on a register submitted to INEC at least 21 days before a primary, congress or convention can participate in the exercise.
Section 84(2) provides for direct primaries or consensus as methods through which political parties can nominate candidates.
The Supreme Court also dismissed a separate appeal by the Social Democratic Party and struck out an appeal by the Youth Party after upholding INEC’s objection that it was filed outside the prescribed period.
Fadeyi insists PDP followed electoral laws
Reacting to the implications of the judgment, Fadeyi maintained that the PDP followed the relevant electoral provisions in selecting its candidates for the 2027 general elections.
He said the process that produced him as the party’s candidate for the Osun senatorial district was transparent, lawful and approved by the relevant party executives.
“The processes to bestow the PDP ticket on Senator Fadeyi for second term in office is clear, legal and approved by all relevant party executives,” the statement added.
The senator further stated that the PDP complied with electoral laws and its established rules in selecting candidates for the forthcoming elections.
He argued that the Supreme Court judgment did not automatically invalidate candidates whose names had already been published by INEC.
According to the statement, constitutional lawyers had maintained that the ruling did not affect the validity of candidates already listed by the electoral commission.
Fadeyi also described the controversy surrounding his candidacy as an internal matter of the PDP, insisting that the party had affirmed him as its authentic candidate for the senatorial district.
