Dr. Wole Oluyede has won the PDP governorship primary in Ekiti State after a tightly contested poll.
He pledged to unite the party and restore good governance ahead of the main election.
Dr. Wole Oluyede, a respected medical practitioner, has been declared the winner of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primary election in Ekiti State.
The keenly contested poll, held at the party’s secretariat in Ado-Ekiti, drew a large crowd of supporters and delegates from across the 177 wards of the state. A total of 535 accredited delegates participated in the exercise, which was conducted under tight security involving soldiers, police officers, civil defence corps, and mobile policemen.
The election, which started late on Saturday night around 10:30 p.m., ended in the early hours of Sunday at about 1:49 a.m. Announcing the results, the Chairman of the PDP Primary Election Committee and Senator representing Gombe North, Ibrahim Dankwambo, said Oluyede polled 279 votes to defeat Funso Ayeni, who garnered 239 votes, while Funmilayo Ogun secured 17 votes. Another aspirant, Peter Obafemi, had earlier withdrawn from the race in support of Oluyede.
In his remarks, Obafemi said his decision was guided by the interest of the party and not personal ambition, describing Oluyede as a man of character who could lead the PDP to victory in the coming governorship election.
In his acceptance speech, Dr. Oluyede described his victory as a shared success for all PDP members in Ekiti. He thanked the national leadership of the party, especially Acting National Chairman, Ambassador Iliya Damagum, and the Southwest leader, Governor Seyi Makinde, for ensuring transparency during the process.
Oluyede pledged to restore good governance in Ekiti if elected, saying, “This victory is for every PDP member and every Ekiti citizen yearning for change. There are no losers here, only partners in progress. Together, we will rebuild Ekiti and return governance to the people.”
Reacting to the outcome, Funso Ayeni commended the turnout but alleged that some irregularities occurred, adding that he would explore the party’s internal mechanisms to address his concerns.
Meanwhile, the PDP State Chairman, Tunji Odeyemi, lauded the successful conduct of the primary, calling it a major step toward reclaiming Ekiti from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). He appealed to all aspirants to remain united, stressing that the party must work together to win the upcoming election.
