Ekiti 2026: PDP's Oluyede says recent election was not fair

Wole Oluyede, the governorship candidate for the Peoples Democratic Party in the June 20 election in Ekiti State, has said the election did not meet the people's expectations for a free and fair poll.

Oluyede mentioned he is still talking to party members about what to do next, based on reports from the 16 local government areas and his own view of how the election went.

In a message he signed, called "A Message of Gratitude, Hope and Commitment to the People of Ekiti State," which he shared in Ado Ekiti on Sunday, Oluyede thanked party members and supporters for their unwavering support and for voting based on their conscience.

The Independent National Electoral Commission announced in the early hours of June 21 that Governor Biodun Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress won the election with 319,224 votes. Oluyede came in second with 40,543 votes.

Oluyede said, "The official results declared by INEC credited our great party with 40,543 votes. To every one of you who stood firmly with us and refused to exchange your conscience for personal gain, I owe you a debt of gratitude that words alone cannot repay."

Still, he insisted that the election did not meet the democratic standards that were expected.

He stated, "My position regarding the conduct of the election remains clear. Based on reports received from our polling agents across the 16 local government areas, information available to our campaign and my own assessment of events, I firmly believe that the election fell short of the standard of a free, fair and credible election that the good people of Ekiti deserved."

He highlighted issues like voter inducement, intimidation, problems with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, and delayed accreditation. He said these raised serious concerns that need a clear and fair investigation.

Oluyede showed respect for President Bola Tinubu and said every step after the election should be wise and responsible. He said, "For that reason, I am currently consulting extensively with the leadership of our great party, my lawyers and members of my legal team. Those consultations are ongoing. At the appropriate time, I shall brief the good people of Ekiti State on the outcome of those consultations and the next steps regarding all matters arising from this election."

He promised his supporters that their efforts would not go to waste. "You have strengthened my faith. You have renewed my hope. You have inspired my determination. I will never abandon you. I will continue to stand with you. I will continue to speak for you. I will continue to defend the interests of Ekiti State."

Oluyede added, "Our past is only a story already told. Our future can still be written in gold. Together, we shall continue this journey with faith, courage, unity and hope until Ekiti State attains the greatness our people deserve."

He also criticized some unnamed people who he said benefited from the PDP but are now calling the party irrelevant in Ekiti State.

He said, "It was both painful and disappointing to watch some individuals who had benefited immensely from the PDP, individuals whose political relevance, public recognition and leadership opportunities were built on the platform of our great party, devote their time and energy to declaring that the PDP was dead in Ekiti State."

Oluyede noted, "Instead of working to rebuild and strengthen the very platform that gave them purpose and prominence, they became its loudest undertakers, moving from one platform to another proclaiming that there was no meaningful opposition left in our state and that the PDP had no future in Ekiti."

He chose not to react angrily to these statements. Instead, he said he relied on God and the people of Ekiti State. He said, "Together, we embarked on a journey that many considered impossible. Without the support of any serving governor, former governor or influential national political leader, we built a movement driven solely by the courage, resilience and determination of ordinary Ekiti men and women who refused to surrender hope."

Oluyede concluded that the people of Ekiti have shown that the PDP is still alive and strong in their hearts. He said his goal in the race was not just to win an office, but to bring back hope, protect democratic choices, and show that the future of Ekiti belongs to its people. He remembered fighting legal battles to ensure the PDP stayed on the ballot, saying that struggle was necessary to keep democratic choices alive.