- By Temitope Ajayi || Premier World News, Ekiti
Dr. Wole Oluyede has emerged as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State following a closely contested primary election held between Saturday and the early hours of Sunday in Ado-Ekiti.
Oluyede polled 279 votes, defeating Funso Ayeni, who scored 239 votes and Funmilayo Ogun, who secured 17 votes.
Announcing the result, the Chairman of the PDP Primary Election Committee, Senator Ibrahim Dankwabo, commended party leaders and delegates for the peaceful conduct of the exercise.
Reacting to the outcome, the PDP South-West Publicity Secretary, Chief Sanya Atofarati, said the primary’s success demonstrated the party’s organisational strength and internal democracy, describing Oluyede’s emergence as a major threat to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the June 20, 2026 governorship election.
Atofarati argued that the PDP primary, held at VINO Event Centre, showed the party was “a step ahead of the confusion-prone APC”, adding that Oluyede’s candidacy signaled an “automatic red card” for the Oyebanji administration.
He said Ekiti people, whom he described as “pauperised and dehumanised”, were ready to vote out the ruling party.
However, APC State Public Relations Officer, Segun Dipe, dismissed the PDP’s remarks, saying Oluyede had contested under multiple political platforms and “will lose again” in 2026.
Dipe insisted that the APC administration was performing and enjoyed stronger acceptance among voters.
The APC had earlier, on October 27, affirmed incumbent Governor Biodun Oyebanji as its governorship candidate through a consensus decision ratified by the party’s Affirmation Congress Committee, chaired by Kogi State Governor, Usman Ododo.
