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Stakeholders in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti have vowed to reject the alleged plan by some forces to upturn the results of last week’s governorship primary election in the state. It be recalled that a medical doctor turned politician, Dr Wole Oluyede, defeated two other aspirants to win the party’s ticket for the June 20, 2026, governorship election at the primary exercise concluded in the early hours of Sunday. Addressing newsmen at the state party secretariat in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, on Monday, the party leaders said the choice of Oluyede by the delegates represented the will of the majority of the party members and leaders in Ekiti State. The leaders, including former deputy governorship candidate Deji Ogunsakin, former state chairman Makanjuola Ogundipe, former speaker Kola Oluwawole, and a former member of the House of Representatives, Segun Adekola, noted that all moves to change the choice of the majority delegates would be resisted. Ogunsakin argued that last week’s governorship primary election, conducted by former governor of Gombe State, Senator Ibrahim Dankwambo, was transparent and peaceful, resulting in the emergence of Oluyede as the party’s flag bearer. He explained that some forces within the party are jittery and not comfortable with Oluyede as the candidate, saying, ” they know our candidate is the one who can deliver victory for us in defeating the ruling APC. The party chieftain appealed to Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and other patriotic leaders of the party across the country to protect the mandate of party members who spoke through their votes during the primaries. He accused some forces of working to destroy the PDP in the state before the next year’s poll, adding that the reported plans to upturn the transparent and credible primary conducted were the handiwork of the anti-democratic elements. Ogunsakin said, ” After our successful, transparent, and fair primary last weekend, which produced Dr Wole Oluyede as the winner, we heard this morning that some forces within our party have started moves to upturn the results and replace the winner with another aspirant. ” Let’s make it clear that we have chosen a man in Dr Wole Oluyede who can give us victory next year, even despite all noticeable manipulations, our people stood. ” Ekiti people through our party has chosen a candidate and external interference should be stopped, enough is enough. We want our leaders in the South West and at the National to accept and respect the choice towards the unity and peace of the party.” Meanwhile, the party’s candidate, Oluyede, has commenced the reconciliation process by meeting with one of the aspirants, Mrs Funmilayo Ogun, at her campaign office. The Ikere-Ekiti-born medical expert commended Ogun for her tenacity and commitment to the growth of the party, noting that her decision to congratulate him showed her level of political maturity and sportsmanship. ” It is my delight to tell this gathering that Mrs Ogun has called to congratulate me, and therefore, my visit to her campaign office today is a way to show that I did not take her hand of fellowship for granted. ” To those who may wish to know, politics is about negotiation. Therefore, Mrs Ogun is one of the strongest supporters of my course, ” To me, I did not win that primary election because I am perfect, or that I am a better aspirant, I’ve never seen myself as better than others.The only difference is that t is only God that installs kings. All aspirants, especially Mrs Ogun are equally good,” he said Responding, the female aspirant said she has accepted the outcome of the primary as a way of promoting peace and unity in the party ahead of next year’s poll. According to her, ” I have every fact to institute action and hire lawyers, but I decided to look the other way because that will not be good enough for the fortunes of our party. ” My decision along that line may not go down well with those who loved and worked tirelessly with me, but it is one painful decision I needed to take, to keep the party together, despite certain observed irregularities. ” Besides, it is a known fact that every person in the party cannot be a governor at the same time; only one person can always be, at a particular point in time. “I can boldly say that in Ekiti, PDP is alive, moving forward, and is going to win the coming gubernatorial election with our candidate.” ALSO READ TOP STORIES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
