Ekiti PDP candidate seeks unity ahead of gov election

The Peoples Democratic Party candidate in Ekiti State, Dr Wole Oluyede, has called for unity at all levels in the party to win the June 20, 2026, governorship election in the state.

Oluyede, a medical expert, spoke in Ado Ekiti on Monday during a visit to an aspirant in the contest for the party ticket, Mrs Funmi Ogun, at her campaign office.

The medical expert emerged as the party’s candidate in the primary election held on Saturday, having defeated two aspirants, Ogun and Funso Ayeni.

Oluyede, who lauded Ogun’s sportsmanship for calling him on the phone to congratulate him after the exercise, expressed readiness to work with her in prosecuting his campaign activities.

He said, “I am proud to say that with unity, Ekiti will soon be under the PDP government, with me on the driver’s side.”

The PDP candidate said, “It is my delight to tell this gathering that Mrs Ogun called to congratulate me. Therefore, my visit to her campaign office today (Monday) is a way to show that I did not take her hand of fellowship for granted.

“To those who may wish to know, politics is about negotiation. Therefore, Mrs Ogun is now one of the strongest supporters of my cause.

To me, I did not win that primary election because I am perfect, or because I am a better aspirant. I’ve never seen myself as better than others.

The only difference is that it is only God who installs kings. All aspirants, especially Mrs Ogun, are equally good.”

Oluyede thanked the party leadership at the national and zonal levels for their support and asked for more.

Ogun, speaking during the visit, said all her actions were targeted at promoting peace in the party, adding that she conceded defeat at the primary election so that PDP could remain a strong, formidable, and indivisible party.

She said, “My decision along that line may not go down well with those who loved and painstakingly worked with me, but it was one painful decision I needed to take to keep the party together.

“Besides, it is a known fact that every person in the party cannot be a governor at the same time; only one person can always be at a particular point in time.

“I can boldly say that in Ekiti State, PDP is alive, moving forward, and is going to win the coming gubernatorial election.”

The Independent National Electoral Commission has fixed the Ekiti State governorship election for June 20, 2026.

Among parties and candidates expected to slug it out in the election are Oluyede of PDP; Governor Biodun Oyebanji of All Progressives Congress; a former High Commissioner to Canada, Dare Bejide, of the African Democratic Congress; an engineer, David Bankole, of the Social Democratic Party; an entrepreneur, Mr Blessing Abegunde, of the New Nigeria Peoples Party; and a philanthropist, Opeyemi Falegan, of Accord.