Ekiti PDP Candidate Wole Oluyede Vows to Unify Party and Defeat APC in 2026 Governorship Race
Ekiti State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate Wole Oluyede has declared himself the “Omolaja” of the party—a unifying figure poised to consolidate support and challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the June 20, 2026, election.
Speaking at a high-level stakeholders’ meeting in Ikere Ekiti, Oluyede outlined a strategy centered on internal unity and grassroots mobilisation. He dismissed criticism of his political consultations as the work of “politically irrelevant” opponents, insisting that his engagement with diverse party factions is essential to securing victory.
“Let them criticise. While they are talking, we are working—and we are winning,” Oluyede said, according to a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media, Gani Salau.
He urged PDP members to close ranks, warning that division would only benefit Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s administration. “This election is winnable—but only if we stand together. No excuses, no distractions. Victory is within reach,” he declared.
Oluyede also launched a direct attack on the APC-led government, accusing it of underdeveloping Ekiti despite significant state resources. He pledged to deliver an Independent Power Plant (IPP) to end electricity shortages, launch large-scale road reconstruction including a functional ring road network, create jobs for youths, ensure prompt payment of salaries with a 13th-month bonus for workers, and settle unpaid pensions, gratuities, and leave bonuses.
“Ekiti cannot continue like this. Enough of stagnation. We will fix this state,” he said.
Campaign officials echoed his urgency. Director-General of the Campaign Council Makanjuola Ogundipe called for immediate ward-to-ward mobilisation, while PDP Chairman Tunji Odeyemi urged members to convert support into votes. Deputy governorship candidate Deji Ogunsakin framed the contest as a referendum on governance: “The time has come to vote out failure. Ekiti deserves better—and Oluyede represents that change.”
Former senator and party leader Duro Faseyi described Oluyede’s emergence as divinely ordained. “God has started this journey, and He will finish it in victory,” he said.
The campaign organisation warned that success will hinge not on sentiment but on unity, strategic planning, and aggressive voter outreach. “This is not the time for division. This is the time to take power. Ekiti must rise—and it will rise with Oluyede,” the statement concluded.
Oluyede reaffirmed his ambition to be sworn in as governor by October 16, 2026, stating unequivocally, “Nothing will stop it.”
