Dr. Wole Oluyede, an Australia-based medical practitioner, has secured the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) governorship ticket for the 2026 gubernatorial election in Ekiti State. Oluyede emerged victorious against three other aspirants during the primary election held at Oke-Ila in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, which saw a significant presence of armed security agents.

The primary election, monitored by officials from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the media, involved over 500 delegates drawn from 177 wards and 16 local government areas of Ekiti State. The accreditation of delegates began late Saturday night around 10:30 PM and concluded in the early hours of Sunday.

Senator Ibrahim Dankwambo, former Gombe State governor and Chairman of the Ekiti State PDP governorship Primary Election Committee, announced the results. Dr. Oluyede garnered 279 votes to clinch the party's ticket. Mr. Funso Ayeni came in second with 239 votes, while Mrs. Funmilayo Ogun secured third place with 17 votes. Notably, Otunba Peter Obafemi, the fourth aspirant, stepped down for Dr. Oluyede just minutes before the contest, citing the importance of party peace and describing Oluyede as a man of integrity capable of leading the party to victory.

In his acceptance speech, Dr. Oluyede expressed gratitude for the fairness and transparency of the process, calling the outcome a collective triumph for all PDP members. He thanked the party’s national leadership, including National Chairman Amb. Umar Damagum and PDP Southwest leader Engr. Seyi Makinde, for ensuring a level playing field. Oluyede pledged to restore hope, rebuild trust, and reclaim Ekiti from misrule, urging citizens to join him in his mission to advance the state and reinstate good governance. He emphasized unity, stating, “Today marks a victory not just for me, but for every member of our great party in Ekiti State. In this election, there are no losers only partners in progress and champions of democracy.”

While congratulating the party leadership for the election, Mr. Funso Ayeni acknowledged imperfections in the process and indicated his intention to address these issues using internal party mechanisms. He stated that the primary was