Oluyede Emerges Ekiti PDP Guber Candidate
A renowned medical expert, Dr. Wole Oluyede, has emerged as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the 2026 gubernatorial election in Ekiti State.
Oluyede emerged in a keenly contested primary election with 279 votes.
The poll, which commenced around 10:30 pm on Saturday night, was concluded at exactly 1:49 am on Sunday.
The Chairman of the Primary Election Committee, who also doubles as the Lawmaker representing Gombe North Senatorial District, Senator Ibrahim Dankwambo, declared Oluyede as the winner with 279 votes to defeat Funso Ayeni, who polled 239 votes and Funmilayo Ogun, who scored 17 votes.
An aspirant, Peter Obafemi, stepped down for Oluyede, noting that his decision to withdraw from the race was not for personal gains but the peace of the party.
He described Oluyede as a man of integrity, who, according to him, has the ability and agility to take the party to victory if he emerges as the party’s candidate.
In his acceptance speech, Dr. Oluyede described the outcome as a collective triumph for all members of the PDP, commending the spirit of fairness and transparency that characterized the process.
The candidate expressed gratitude to the party’s national leadership for their role in ensuring a credible primary, singling out the National Chairman, Ambassador Iliya Damagum, and the PDP Southwest leader, Engr. Seyi Makinde, for their commitment to a level playing field.
He vowed to restore hope, rebuild trust, and reclaim Ekiti from the grip of misrule under the All Progressive Congress (APC), urging citizens to unite in the mission to move Ekiti forward and return good governance to the state.
“Today marks a victory not just for me, but for every member of our great party in Ekiti State. In this election, there are no losers, only partners in progress and champions of democracy. The spirit of maturity, sincerity, and fairness shown in this primary demonstrates that true change is coming to Ekiti.
“Your leadership has strengthened our faith in democracy. To my fellow aspirants, I salute your courage and sportsmanship. This victory belongs to all of us. Now, we must unite as one family to deliver the real victory, the PDP victory in the governorship election,” he added
An aspirant, Funsho Ayeni, acknowledged the efforts of the party but noted that the process was marred with manipulation, promising to make use of the internal mechanism to make corrections.
Olamilekan Adigun is a graduate of Mass Communication with years of experience in journalism embedded in uncovering human interest stories. He also prioritises accuracy and factual reportage of issues.
