The African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Ekiti State has taken the State Independent Electoral Commission (EKSIEC) to court, accusing the electoral body of failing to comply with provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 ahead of the forthcoming local government elections.
In an originating summons filed at the Ekiti State High Court in Ado-Ekiti, the party, through two of its chairmanship candidates, Ogundipe Ademola Victor and Babatunde Daniel Ogundana, is seeking an order restraining EKSIEC from proceeding with the polls pending a review of contentious provisions in its election guidelines.
The ADC is challenging specific aspects of the guidelines, which it claims contravene the Electoral Act 2026 (as amended), the 1999 Constitution, and the party’s constitution.
Central to the dispute are the nomination fees and the requirement for tax clearance certificates, which the party describes as excessive and exclusionary.
According to the claimants, the conditions imposed by EKSIEC are “prohibitive and deliberately structured to sideline credible candidates”, thereby undermining the principles of fairness and inclusiveness in the electoral process.
Addressing journalists on Wednesday in Ado-Ekiti, the ADC State Publicity Secretary, Gboyega Aribisogan, said the legal action was aimed at safeguarding democratic standards at the grassroots level.
“We are not opposed to the conduct of elections. However, we cannot support a process that appears compromised from the outset. As a statutory body, EKSIEC must operate strictly within the bounds of the law. Democracy can only flourish where the rules are transparent, equitable, and just for all participants,” he said.