Breaking: Oluyede Emerges Victorious In Tense Ekiti PDP Governorship Primary Showdown

Renowned medical doctor, Dr. Wole Oluyede, has clinched victory in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primary election in Ekiti State.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The primary, held in Ado-Ekiti, attracted thousands of party loyalists and featured 535 delegates from the 177 wards across the state, who voted to select the party’s flagbearer for the 2026 governorship election.

Security was tight throughout the exercise, with the Army, Police, Civil Defence, and Mobile Police units deployed to ensure a peaceful and orderly process.

The voting, which began at 10:30 p.m. on Saturday, concluded at 1:49 a.m. on Sunday, after which the Chairman of the Primary Election Committee and Senator Ibrahim Dankwambo (Gombe North) declared Oluyede winner.

Oluyede polled 279 votes, defeating Funso Ayeni, who scored 239, while Funmilayo Ogun finished with 17 votes.
Another aspirant, Peter Obafemi, had earlier withdrawn from the race, pledging his support for Oluyede, whom he described as “a man of integrity capable of leading the PDP to victory.”

In his acceptance speech, Oluyede hailed the outcome as a collective victory for the PDP, saying:

“Today’s result is not about me alone; it’s a triumph for every member of our great party in Ekiti. There are no losers—only partners in progress.”

He commended the transparency of the process and expressed gratitude to the PDP’s national leadership, including Acting National Chairman Ambassador Iliya Damagum and Governor Seyi Makinde, for ensuring fairness.

Oluyede vowed to restore confidence in governance and rescue Ekiti from what he described as years of misrule under the APC, urging party members to unite behind his candidacy.

Runner-up Funso Ayeni congratulated the party but raised concerns about certain aspects of the process, alleging “manipulation” and vowing to seek redress through internal party channels.

Ekiti PDP Chairman, Tunji Odeyemi, lauded the peaceful conduct of the primary, describing it as “a major step toward reclaiming the state from the ruling APC.”

“To God be the glory, a winner has emerged,” Odeyemi said. “Now that we have a candidate, our focus should be on reconciliation and unity as we move forward to win the election.”

With Oluyede’s emergence, the PDP now faces the task of consolidating its ranks and preparing for a high-stakes battle against the ruling APC in the 2026 Ekiti governorship election.