Ekiti 2026: South West PDP Is Behind Oluyede – Atofarati

The Peoples Democratic Party in the South West has said that the people of Ekiti State are clamouring for people-oriented leadership in the state and the party is prepared to take over government come 2026.

The zonal publicity secretary of the party, Chief Sanya Atofarati, who stated this, said the PDP in the South West Zone is throwing its weight behind the party’s governorship candidate in the state, Dr. Wole Oluyede to win the election.

Adefarati called on the All Progressives Congress-led government in the state to start preparing for exit from government ahead of the June 20, 2026 governorship election in the state.

This came as Oluyede, expressed confidence that PDP would form the next government in the state, saying, “We are ready and prepared to send the non-performing government packing in the interest of our people’s betterment”.

They spoke in Ado Ekiti at the weekend during an event organized by Ekiti PDP to receive Oluyede upon his return from Abuja where he received his Certificate of Return from the Tanimu Turaki-led National Working Committee having won the party’s November 8 primaries for 2026 Ekiti governorship election.

A huge crowd of PDP members, loyalists and supporters including various ethnic groups and as well students’ bodies had gathered at Ikere Ekiti and Ado Ekiti to receive the PDP candidate.

Speaking further, Atofarati posited that the PDP has the people, the support and all it requires to win the governorship election in Ekiti adding that they will do all possible to ensure the election is not rigged.

The South West spokesperson, who stated that there had been poor performance in the state with dire consequences on the citizens, said “Ekiti people are crying, people are hungry, people are on the street yearning for true leadership. They want a new lease of life. That clamour for people-oriented leadership is what you are experiencing here today with this large turnout.

“Our party (PDP) has bounced back in Ekiti State. Come June 20, 2026, our party will return to power because people are ready across the state and willing to vote Oluyede and PDP into office. We are confident that we are going to win this election.

“The 2026 election is APC against Ekiti people. It is not about PDP, it is about the progress of Ekiti people, it is about our collective well-being. The people have found PDP as the vehicle for the true leadership and to reposition the state,” Atofarati said.

Addressing the crowd, the candidate, Oluyede, while addressing the crowd said, “The whole national PDP turned out for Ekiti, it was tremendous. It shows that the party is ready to take over this state, we are prepared, we will take over this state by June 2026 by the grace of God”.

The medical expert, who said he had been prepared for the governorship of the state all his life, charged the party members to take the work seriously, boosting the membership and winning more supporters.

According to him, “As it is, there is nothing really we can point at as an index of development that you can see in Ekiti. So, when campaigns begin, our campaign will be very simple – life will be better. On infrastructure, Ekiti is nowhere under APC.

“Ekiti is not creating wealth at present, if a people do not create wealth, they are going to dwindle, we need to change that mindset. We will create wealth by entrepreneurship, by innovation and by encouraging youth to grow. We are going to support people to create wealth for themselves.

“Ekiti is an agrarian society, so our wealth creation will centre around agriculture. We will encourage commercial and industrial farming. The health sector can do better than it is at present,” Oluyede said.

Also addressing the party supporters, PDP State Chairman, Tunji Odeyemi, said the party was putting in place all machinery to ensure that its candidate would emerge as the next governor of the state.