Renowned medical expert, Dr. Wole Oluyede, has emerged as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate for the 2026 Ekiti State election, following a closely contested primary held in Ado-Ekiti.
The exercise, which drew thousands of party supporters and 535 accredited delegates from the 177 wards across the state, was conducted under tight supervision by the PDP Primary Election Committee led by Senator Ibrahim Dankwambo (Gombe North).
Announcing the results, Senator Dankwambo declared Oluyede winner with 279 votes, defeating Funso Ayeni (239 votes) and Funmilayo Ogun (17 votes). Another aspirant, Peter Obafemi, had earlier stepped down in support of Oluyede, citing the need for party unity and describing the winner as “a man of integrity capable of leading the PDP to victory.”
In his acceptance speech, Dr. Oluyede hailed the outcome as a “collective triumph” for the PDP, commending the fairness and transparency of the process. He expressed appreciation to the national leadership of the party, especially Ambassador Iliya Damagum and Governor Seyi Makinde, for ensuring a level playing field.
Pledging to “restore hope, rebuild trust, and reclaim Ekiti from misrule under the APC,” Oluyede urged citizens and party members to unite for the task ahead.
Ekiti PDP Chairman, Tunji Odeyemi, lauded the peaceful conduct of the primary, describing it as “a major step toward reclaiming the state.” He praised members for their patience during the long voting process and called on all aspirants to close ranks.
“To God be the glory, a winner has emerged,” Odeyemi said. “Now that we have a candidate, we must reconcile and move forward together. We have all it takes to take over the governance of Ekiti State.”
