From Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti
As the race for the 2026 governorship election gathers momentum in Ekiti State, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said it will not adopt a weak and unpopular candidate at the party’s primaries to fly its ticket in the election in the state.
A former lawmaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly and member of the Wole Oluyede Ekiti 2026 Governorship Campaign Committee in the state, Hon. Wale Ayeni, made the disclosure during the inauguration of the Wole Oluyede Campaign Team held in Ikere-Ekiti, Ikere Local Government Area of the state.
The former House member, who stated that Oluyede is the best option for the party in the state, lamented that the PDP was defeated in the 2022 governorship election because the party fielded a weak and unpopular candidate.
Ayeni, who said that Oluyede, a governorship aspirant for the 2026 election in the state, is the best man for the top job, noted that the governorship hopeful is basically interested in how Ekiti will prosper and flourish.
The well-attended event had prominent party personalities in attendance, including leaders from the Southwest of Oyo, Ondo, Osun, and Ogun States.
Also, party leaders, executives, chairmen, women leaders, members, and supporters from across the 16 Local Government Areas of Ekiti State were present at the event.
Ayeni said, “We now have a new Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State. The era whereby some people would be paid to cause division and crisis in the party is gone.
“Anytime the All Progressives Congress (APC) defeated us, it was because some of our leaders were paid to work against the party. They will make sure that the candidate the members of the party will not accept is the person they will adopt. The reason for this is that it has been the tradition of PDP to build structures around some particular leaders, either by virtue of their past positions or by virtue of the positions they are holding at that particular time. For example, if you are a former governor in the PDP, the party will accord you that respect and they will build a structure around you, not minding their intentions. That is one of the problems the PDP has in Ekiti, but we thank God that we are gradually overcoming that problem.
“Whenever it was time for congresses, they will not reckon with other leaders of the party because they believed they will not subscribe to whatever they brought to the table. They will write only the names of those people that will listen to them. And when it is time for congresses, they will negotiate, and they will be paid heavily for that.
“In the 2022 governorship election, it was not that the PDP did not have the material that will face the incumbent, assuming it was Chief Segun Oni who got the ticket to face Biodun Oyebanji, PDP’s situation would not be like this today, but because they had sold out the party, the next thing was to look for an unpopular person as the party’s flag bearer. That was part of the strategy they came up with and, unfortunately, so many fools that followed them didn’t see it from that angle. You are not supposed to follow your leader blindly when your leader becomes so foolish. A leader who is only concerned about his pocket, such a person is not worthy to be called a leader.”
He continued, “We thank God for the congresses we have held and for the one that is coming. For almost 22 years now, this is the first time that the party will go back to the hands of the leaders. All the leaders were reckoned with and they were involved in the emergence of all the executives in the last congresses.
“When we started this struggle, we identified all these problems. And we have been able to overcome these problems. How? By involving all these leaders and with them, we are going to win. With them, APC is in trouble. With them, you can forget the issue of incumbency.”
Ayeni expressed that the PDP is back and better and it is ready to take over power from the ruling APC in the state.
“The APC-led government in the state brought pains and sufferings to the people. I urge you to support Dr Wole Oluyede to become the governor, to liberate you from the current hardship and better your lives.
“It is our turn in 2026. We are ready to wrest power from the APC. When last did you see the PDP gather like this? That was during the presidential election and the number was not as large as this. This is a signal that God is ready to restore power to us.
“We don’t want a candidate that will cash out. We don’t want a candidate who will trade his candidacy by collecting money and relocating with his family abroad. We don’t want a candidate who will collect money and invest it in oil and gas and other businesses.
“We have all it takes to defeat the incumbent and, by the special grace of God, we have been able to find somebody who is very worthy and that is Dr Wole Oluyede. What are the qualities we have found in Oluyede? One, in the history of the whole Southwest, I mean from Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Ondo, and Lagos States, only Ekiti South Senatorial District has not produced a governor. In the old Ondo State, what led to the struggle for the creation of Ekiti State? It was this same problem. Now that we are in Ekiti State, it is our turn. We have the largest number of local governments.
“Ekiti South has always been deprived. This is because of the powers that be, but this time around we have found a capable hand, we have found a competent hand.
“We believe in God. We believe in Dr Wole Oluyede. With what God has done for Dr Wole Oluyede, we continue to wonder what he is looking for in politics. But because of his passion for humanity, and to ensure that Ekiti prospers and flourishes, that is why he is doing this.”
He appealed to the leaders of the party to work for the emergence of Oluyede at the primaries and for his victory in the gubernatorial election.
“I appeal to our leaders who gathered together and pleaded to Oluyede to come and many of us are also here today in this gathering. He has answered our calls. We appeal to you to also propagate the gospel of Oluyede across the 177 wards in the state.”
Former Speaker of Ekiti State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Kolawole Oluwawole, said the PDP in the state was almost dead. He praised the leaders who restored the party.
He expressed regret at some party leaders who, after using the platform as a ladder to achieve greatness, worked against the party and disappointed their followers.
Oluwawole, who thanked God for rising up to rescue the party, urged leaders and members to sustain the unity, remain steadfast, and work for the interest of the party in the coming election. He also appealed to the people of the state to support the PDP to return to the government house.
“The PDP has been restored and its light is shining to illuminate Ekiti State again. When our party was in government, the people prospered and flourished.”
He praised Oluyede’s efforts at rebuilding the party and restoring it to its pride of place in the state, adding that his candidacy will help to enhance Ekiti’s development and bring prosperity to the people.
Barr. Benson Amuwa, Ondo State PDP Chieftain and the Southwest Zonal Organising Secretary, inaugurated the members of the Wole Oluyede Governorship Campaign Committee. While charging the leaders and members to work for the emergence of Oluyede at the primaries and his victory in the election, he reminded them that the task before them is not child’s play.
“To all the members of the committee, this is the time to work. Before becoming the governor, he must first emerge as the candidate of the party. And for Oluyede to emerge, every one of us here must be part of the process. So, it is a big task.”
Another Ondo PDP chieftain and Chairman, Forum of National Ex-Officio, Hon. Clement Faboyede, in his remarks, expressed his delight in Oluyede for rebuilding the party, noting it is the reason he is supporting his governorship ambition. He pleaded with leaders and members to support the emergence of Oluyede at the primaries and in the gubernatorial elections.
“We conducted an investigation about Wole Oluyede. A man that has been spending his own money and bringing people together. By the organogram, I saw it clearly that from all the wards, we have come here and various categories of leaders. If such a person becomes the governor, will he not impact all the wards? Yes!
“I was a Commissioner under former Governor Mimiko for Community Development, there was no ward in Ondo State that his government didn’t touch. We would go to the people and ask them to tell us what they are lacking, and within two months their request would be granted. On my table alone, I awarded 160 basic health centres in the rural communities.
“If you elect Oluyede, we will sit him down and tell him to bring government to the grassroots. I was told this is not his first experience in electioneering. If he doesn’t have experience in electioneering, he would not say he wants to kick start, calling people from the wards, local governments, calling on the leaders and members. It means he knows what electioneering is. He will move Ekiti forward. No more fighting in PDP. We are now wiser. We are going to do consensus. We will back him up. We will support him. We will enlighten him. We will stand by him. I beg you to reject any form of manipulation from any angle.”
On his part, Chief Sanya Atofarati, PDP Southwest Publicity Secretary, who is also in charge of Media and Publicity of Team Wole Oluyede Ekiti 2026 Governorship Campaign Committee, appreciated Oluyede for making himself available in leading the struggle. He enjoined the people of Ikere-Ekiti and the South Senatorial District not to settle for the deputy governorship position.
“It is important that we must know where we are going to at this time. Nobody was forced or pulled down to this place. This means that every one of us is ready to do the job before us.
“I want to use this occasion to send this message to the government in power in the state. They should start packing their bags and baggage. There is no more room for their divide and rule strategy. This is our journey to the government house.
“We are appealing to the people of Ikere-Ekiti, especially people of the South Senatorial District, when they bring their ticket for a deputy governorship position, please, don’t accept it.
“I am strongly appealing to all those from the South Senatorial District, that we cannot do this work alone, so we need the support of the people from the Central and North Senatorial Districts.
“It is very important for us to know that this politics is really not about the leaders, but majorly about the followers. In Ekiti State today, it is quite unfortunate that despite the huge allocation of the state, there is no commensurate development to that.”