Dr. Wole Oluyede Secures PDP Gubernatorial Nomination in Ekiti State
Dr. Wole Oluyede, a medical practitioner based in Australia, has successfully secured the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) governorship ticket for the 2026 gubernatorial election in Ekiti State. His victory came after a competitive primary election that saw him defeat three other candidates to become the party’s official nominee.
The primary election was held at the Oke-Ila area of Ado-Ekiti, the state capital. The event was marked by a strong presence of armed security agents, ensuring the safety and smooth conduct of the proceedings. Over 500 delegates from 177 wards and 16 local government areas participated in the process, which was also monitored by officials from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the media.
The shadow election began with the accreditation of delegates around 10:30 PM on Saturday night and concluded in the early hours of Sunday. The results were announced by Senator Ibrahim Dankwambo, the Chairman of the Ekiti State PDP Governorship Primary Election Committee. He revealed that Dr. Oluyede received 279 votes, securing the party ticket. Mr. Funso Ayeni followed closely with 239 votes, while Mrs. Funmilayo Ogun secured 17 votes, placing her in third position.
The fourth candidate, Otunba Peter Obafemi, stepped down shortly before the contest ended, citing the need for party unity. He praised Dr. Oluyede as a man of integrity and expressed confidence in his ability to lead the party to victory. Obafemi emphasized that his decision was made for the peace of the party.
In his acceptance speech, Dr. Oluyede commended the fairness and transparency of the process, calling the outcome a collective triumph for all PDP members. He thanked the party’s national leadership, particularly the National Chairman, Amb. Umar Damagum, and the PDP Southwest leader, Oyo State governor Engr. Seyi Makinde, for creating a level playing field for all aspirants.
Oluyede pledged to restore hope, rebuild trust, and reclaim Ekiti from the grip of misrule. He urged the people of the state to join hands and support him in his mission to move Ekiti forward and return good governance to the region.
He stated, “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.”
While expressing gratitude to the party’s leadership, he also acknowledged the efforts of his fellow aspirants, saying, “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.”
Mr. Funso Ayeni, who came second in the contest, praised the leadership of the party for staging a successful election. However, he pointed out some flaws in the process, stating that the internal mechanisms would be used to address any issues. He added, “And I can tell you the process is not perfect and when a process is not perfect, we try to use internal process to also correct it. Definitely this is not the end of the process, I would say. This is just the beginning.”
Tunji Odeyemi, the Chairman of PDP in Ekiti State, expressed satisfaction with the successful conduct of the primary. He described it as a major step towards the party’s goal of reclaiming the state from the All Progressives Congress (APC). Odeyemi lauded the resilience of party members throughout the long voting day, which stretched from morning until the early hours of the following day. He appealed to all aspirants to remain united and work together for the success of the party in the upcoming election.
Odeyemi said, “To God be the glory, a winner has emerged and that has been our target since I became chairman. Many thought this primary would lead to crisis, but we have shown otherwise. With God and our collective vision, we will take over the governance of Ekiti State. Only one person can occupy the seat. Now that a candidate has emerged, we must reconcile and move forward together to win the election. We have all it takes to take over the governance of Ekiti State.”
Key Figures and Their Contributions
- Dr. Wole Oluyede: Secured the PDP governorship ticket with 279 votes.
- Mr. Funso Ayeni: Came in second with 239 votes.
- Mrs. Funmilayo Ogun: Placed third with 17 votes.
- Otunba Peter Obafemi: Stepped down for the sake of party unity.
- Senator Ibrahim Dankwambo: Announced the results of the primary election.
- Tunji Odeyemi: Expressed satisfaction with the successful conduct of the primary.
Future Prospects
With Dr. Oluyede as the PDP candidate, the party aims to reclaim Ekiti State from the APC. The primary election has set the stage for a competitive and transparent campaign leading up to the 2026 gubernatorial election. The focus now shifts to uniting the party and mobilizing support across the state.