. Caution against external influence
The Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) leaders and stakeholders in Ekiti State have declared their support for Dr Wole Oluyede as the candidate of the party to fly its flag in the June 20, 2026, governorship election in the state.
While cautioning against external influences, they said the 8 November 2025 governorship primary that produced Oluyede as the party’s flag bearer for the election should not in any way be tampered with, noting, it is the will of the people, hence the outcome should be upheld.
Oluyede, an Australia-based medical doctor, was declared the winner of the 8 November governorship primary election after polling the highest votes at the party’s primary election.
This resolution was made known at a stakeholders’ meeting held at the PDP secretariat in Ado-Ekiti, capital of the state, where all the stakeholders expressed their unflinching support for the Party’s flag bearer to succeed in the forthcoming election.
The meeting comprised state executives, party leaders, stakeholders, local government chairmen, and ward chairmen from across the 16 local government areas and 177 wards in the state.
Speaking at the meeting, the state’s party Chairman, Rt Hon. Tunji Odeyemi, said the reason for organising the meeting is to publicly declare their unshakable support for Oluyede’s candidacy, urging all in attendance and members across the state to see the forthcoming governorship election as a task that must be treated with all seriousness; noting that, all hands must be on deck to ensure victory for the PDP and return the party to power in 2026.
“We organised this meeting to declare our unwavering support for the mandate of Dr Wole Oluyede.
“We have all the state excos, leaders and stakeholders across the state, all party chairmen, and all ward chairmen here today and we are declaring in the affirmative that Dr Wole Oluyede is the PDP candidate for the June 20,2026 governorship election.
“We are also using this meeting to appreciate our members for the way they conducted themselves during the governorship primary election held on November 8 in the state.
“We are aware that the incumbency power is there, but at the same time we know that there is nothing that is impossible. Our determination is to unseat the current Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, democratically so that our candidate will become the next governor of Ekiti State.
“Also, this meeting is to sensitise our members and remind them that the coming election is a task and we must take it as a real job and we will be doing this on a regular basis.” He said.
Odeyemi urged other contestants in the primary election and their supporters to come together and rally behind Oluyede, stressing that collective effort is very vital to wrestle power from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state and for the party to achieve victory in the 2026 election.
“We need unity and oneness to defeat the current All Progressives Congress and secure victory in the June 20,2026 election. We need the support of others to achieve this victory. Therefore, I urge the supporters of the other aspirants like Hon. Funso Ayeni, Hon. Funmi Ogun, and Dr Peter Obafemi to come together and work for Dr. Wole Oluyede to emerge victorious in next year’s poll.” He pointed.
A member of the Board of Trustees (BoT), Hon. Michael Oke, in his remarks, urged members to go to their various wards and work for Oluyede for the party to win the forthcoming gubernatorial election.
“I pray that God will make you realise this ambition. Because once you become the governor, we will all benefit but it is very important that we continue to tell our people to go to their various wards and work for the party.
“Whenever we want to speak in public let us first say that I will deliver my own polling unit. Because when everybody delivers their polling units, it means that our candidate will emerge.
“There is nobody in Ekiti who does not know that PDP has the highest number of party members. By the special grace of God, Dr Wole Oluyede will become our governor come June 20, 2026.” He said.
On his part, former Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Rt Hon. Kola Oluwawole, said Oluyede’s candidacy is God’s project. He appealed to the leadership of the party at the national and in the South-West to support the party in Ekiti as the state is preparing for the governorship election and urged them to disregard any call to upturn the candidacy of Oluyede.
“In a contest, only one person will be declared the winner. One person has been declared the winner now, we urged other contestants to know that we are all one, if possible, the party should set up a reconciliation committee to pacify them.
“We appreciate our Southwest leaders, and we are using this opportunity to thank them for all they have done for PDP in Ekiti. But, in the name of all the PDP members in Ekiti, we are appealing to them to disregard those who are mounting pressure that the outcome of the gubernatorial primary election that produced Dr Wole Oluyede should be upturned. This is God’s project.
“Like I said, all the other contestants are capable to become the governor but there is somebody that God has chosen and the same person won the election.
“Our appeal now is that the national executives, both the old and the new executives led by Kabiru Turaki, should strongly support Ekiti PDP because Ekiti people are waiting for the party.” He concluded.
A chieftain of the party and former Ado Local Government Chairman, Hon. Deji Ogunsakin, also affirmed the leaders and stakeholders’ support for Oluyede. He said the just concluded governorship primary was peaceful and transparent, noting whoever is not satisfied with the result is an enemy of the PDP, who is covertly working for the ruling APC.
“What we are here to do today, is to tell you, Dr Wole Oluyede, that we stand on your mandate. Nothing can change your mandate. No court can upturn your mandate.
“Oluyede has all it takes to become the governor of Ekiti State and also has the capacity to restore the state to its pride of place.
“Anybody working against Dr Oluyede is working against the PDP. Anyone working against Dr Oluyede is working for the APC.” He said.
In his address, Oluyede said there are no losers in the election, dedicating the victory to all contestants.
“I am using this occasion to recognise all the contestants in the election. In every contest, a person will always emerge the winner, but I am declaring before everyone here today that all of us won.
“Look at our party today, we have in this gathering those who supported me to emerge and the supporters of other contestants in the primary election. We are all here today because of the party, to ensure that the PDP stands again.
“I appreciate all members for their good conduct during the primary election. Whoever was present at the election will know that God truly intervened in the exercise and the will of God came to pass.
“I want to assure you that by the special grace of God, PDP will emerge victorious in the 2026 election and I will be the governor of the state and Ekiti people will not regret electing me into the office.” He said.
Speaking further, the governorship candidate used the opportunity to again extend an olive branch to those who are aggrieved with the outcome of the primary.
“For those who are aggrieved, we will beg ourselves and we will make sure everybody benefits.”
Oluyede, who maintained that the interest of the party should come first, noted that a reconciliation committee will be set up to pacify aggrieved members so that the party can work as a family and clinch victory in the 2026 poll.
“I want to appeal to everyone, this is not a period to display how highly placed anybody is, I am appealing to leaders to start mobilising people,help us to pacify those who are aggrieved, they should join us to achieve success together.
“With the permission of the State Chairman, we will set up a reconciliation committee. And I suggest that Hon. Michael Oke, a member of the Board of Trustees will lead the reconciliation committee.”
Oluyede also suggested that the Chairman of the party, Odeyemi, and its Secretary, Kole Abiodun, should be members of the committee that will recommend the candidate’s running mate in the 2026 election.
The event also witnessed the inauguration of the recently elected state executives of the party and local government chairmen which was carried out by the party’s State chairman.
Odeyemi charged them to use their positions to serve the party and also work in their various units and wards for the emergence of Oluyede in the governorship election.
Others at the meeting included a member of the National Executive Council (NEC), Hon. Adeola Ogunrinde; State Deputy Chairman, Hon. Ebenezer Oladapo; the Chairman of all PDP Local Government Chairmen in the state, Hon. Oluyemi Ajanaku; the party’s legal adviser, Barr. Ola Alonge; Mrs Lanre Fajuyi; women leaders; among others.
