Ekiti poll: PDP’s Oluyede withdraws petition, backs Tinubu’s second term bid

Ekiti poll: PDP’s Oluyede withdraws petition, backs Tinubu’s second term bid

The Peoples Democratic Party candidate in the June 20, 2026, Ekiti State governorship election, Dr Wole Oluyede, has explained his decision to withdraw his legal challenge against the outcome of the poll, saying the move was based on national interest and personal reflection.

Oluyede, who lost to Governor Biodun Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress, said he chose statesmanship over prolonged litigation, adding that he remained committed to supporting President Bola Tinubu’s bid for a second term in the 2027 presidential election.

In a statement titled ‘Ekiti 2026: The election that should keep 2027 political strategists awake’, made available in Ado-Ekiti on Sunday, the PDP candidate said his decision to discontinue the petition was not influenced by any financial inducement or settlement from the APC-led government.

He said the withdrawal should not be interpreted as an endorsement of all aspects of the election process, stressing that the poll provided important lessons on voter participation, grassroots mobilisation and political engagement ahead of 2027.

Oluyede, however, declared that he would work towards the re-election of Tinubu, whom he described as a leader whose administration and Renewed Hope Agenda deserved continued engagement and support.

The PDP candidate said the poll left in its wake important lessons that should guide political strategists and stakeholders in preparing for the 2027 elections.

According to him, the Ekiti election was “not merely about who won or lost, but exposed changing dynamics in voter participation, grassroots mobilisation, political loyalty and the danger of taking the electorate for granted.”

The Independent National Electoral Commission on June 21 declared Oyebanji the winner of the election, having polled 319,224 votes while Oluyede of the PDP got 40,543 votes to emerge second in the election.

Oluyede saluted the courage and steadfastness of his party members, who, he said, showed that PDP was not dead in the state despite challenges.

“We remain alive and formidable together. Under my leadership, PDP will play a very prominent role in the 2027 election and cannot be taken for granted,” he said.

The PDP candidate said he initially approached the election petitions tribunal for three things, “seeking the truth, examining the election and clearing my name.

“I believe the conduct and results of the June 20, 2026, election deserve to be thoroughly examined.

“Following the election, we subjected the results and available electoral documents to forensic review and identified issues that, in our assessment, required further scrutiny.”

He, however, said, “After careful consultations and reflection, I decided to move forward,” hence the decision to withdraw the petition.

The PDP candidate said, “My withdrawal should not erase the lessons of the election. The results and the conduct of the election must be studied carefully as we prepare for 2027.

“We must learn from what happened, address the weaknesses exposed by the election and build a stronger, more credible electoral and grassroots mobilisation process.

“My decision to withdraw the petition followed extensive consultations and personal reflection.

“I also considered the broader national interest. I had to ask myself whether prolonged litigation over the governorship election would ultimately serve the greater political and national objectives that I have supported for many years. After careful consideration, I chose statesmanship.”

He denied inducement from Oyebanji, the APC or anyone else to drop the petition.

“Let me state this categorically: I did not collect a kobo from President Bola Tinubu, Governor Biodun Oyebanji, the APC or anybody else in exchange for withdrawing my case. I did not sell my mandate. My integrity is not for sale,” he added.

Oluyede also dismissed insinuations that money changed hands when Oyebanji, in company with Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, visited him on June 21.

“I received them as brothers, and our meeting was cordial. To the best of my recollection, our discussion had nothing to do with the conduct or the outcome of the election.

“Rather, we discussed our past relationship and the need for all of us, irrespective of our political differences, to work together in the interest of Ekiti State,” he said.

He expressed surprise that “within minutes of the governor’s visit, I started receiving telephone calls and visits from political leaders and members of the electorate demanding their share of a purported financial settlement from the governor. That is completely untrue.

“Unfortunately, rather than seeing the visit as an opportunity for reconciliation and a demonstration that political differences need not destroy personal relationships, some people chose to twist the narrative and portray the meeting as a financial settlement.

“I find this particularly unfortunate because one of the problems with our political culture in Ekiti is the tendency to reduce every political interaction to money.

“Politics should be about service, ideas and the future of our people, not a game in which every relationship is interpreted through the lens of money and every act of goodwill is turned into an opportunity for blackmail or character assassination. Ekiti deserves better than that,” he added.

Oluyede said that he used the opportunity to bring the plight of some of his supporters who had been detained during the election to the governor’s attention, which Oyebanji promised to look into.

He noted, “I am grateful that he subsequently followed through on that commitment. We also discussed the need for us to explore ways of working together to make Ekiti better and move the state forward. That, to me, was the essence of the visit and our conversation.”

Oluyede said the issues in the Ekiti election, including low voter participation, BVAS application irregularities, security deployment, voter intimidation, inducement, result records and treatment of political opponents, among others, “should not simply disappear after the election.

“They deserve to be documented, discussed and examined as part of the broader conversation about Nigeria’s electoral democracy.”

Oluyede, who described himself as among the pioneer founders of SWAGA, “where we worked to promote Tinubu’s presidential ambition because we believe in his capacity and leadership,” reiterated his committed support for the President in the forthcoming 2027 poll.

He advised that the 2027 elections matter must be taken seriously in Ekiti State.

“Anyone working for Tinubu’s re-election must understand that the 2027 presidential election will be national, with wider participation, stronger competition and greater political stakes. Every state, local government and community will matter.

“The truth is simple: The 2027 presidential election must be taken very seriously in Ekiti State. The APC cannot rely on assumptions.

“The governorship election should not be used as the only guide for 2027. Many voters who did not participate in the 2026 poll will vote in the presidential election, and opposition parties will also mobilise aggressively.

“So the real question is not whether APC members alone can deliver victory.

“The real question is whether the President’s structure can reach APC members, undecided voters, young people, women, professionals, farmers, artisans, civil servants and others who may not normally vote APC but are open to persuasion. That is where the battle will be won,” he stated.

He advised that the Oluyede-led PDP in Ekiti should not be taken for granted or left behind in the Tinubu reelection move.

“If we want President Tinubu to win overwhelmingly in Ekiti, we must begin serious mobilisation now. We must engage the grassroots, explain the Renewed Hope Agenda, listen to the people and build trust beyond party membership.

“Every election must be fought afresh. Every vote must be earned afresh. We must ask ourselves: How many voters have we reached? How many young people have we engaged? How many communities have we visited? How many undecided voters have we persuaded? These are the questions that should guide the campaign.

“Do not assume past results will repeat themselves. Do not wait until the last minute before mobilising. The work must begin now.

“The 2027 presidential election is a different contest entirely. The electorate is broader. The competition will be stronger. The stakes are higher. For those who truly believe in President Tinubu and the Renewed Hope Agenda, this is the time to take 2027 seriously,” he said.