The Peoples Democratic Party in the South-West has urged the All Progressives Congress-led government in Ekiti State to begin preparations to vacate office ahead of the June 20, 2026, governorship election in the state.
Similarly, the PDP governorship candidate in Ekiti State, Dr Oluwole Oluyede, has expressed confidence that the party would form the next government, declaring that the PDP was ready to “send the non-performing government packing in the interest of the people’s welfare”.
They spoke in Ado-Ekiti on Saturday during a rally organised by the Ekiti State chapter of the PDP to receive Oluyede on his return from Abuja, where he was presented with his Certificate of Return by the Tanimu Turaki-led National Working Committee after emerging winner of the party’s governorship primary for the 2026 election.
A large crowd of PDP members and supporters, including Hausa and Ebira communities, as well as student groups, gathered in Ikere-Ekiti and Ado-Ekiti to welcome Oluyede and his entourage.
Speaking at the event, the South-West Zonal Publicity Secretary of the party, Atofarati, said the PDP in the zone had thrown its weight behind Oluyede to win the election.
“The PDP in the South-West is fully behind Oluyede. We have the people, the support and everything required to win the Ekiti governorship election. We will do everything possible to ensure that the election is not rigged,” he said.
He alleged that poor governance had worsened the living conditions of residents in the state.
“Ekiti people are crying. People are hungry and yearning for true leadership. They want a new lease of life. That clamour for people-oriented leadership is what you are witnessing here today with this massive turnout,” he said.
He added, “Our party has bounced back in Ekiti State. Come June 20, 2026, the PDP will return to power because the people across the state are ready and willing to vote for Oluyede and the PDP.
“The 2026 election is APC versus the people of Ekiti. It is not just about PDP; it is about the progress and collective well-being of Ekiti people. The people have embraced PDP as the vehicle for genuine leadership and the repositioning of the state.”
Addressing the crowd, Oluyede said the show of solidarity during his reception in Abuja demonstrated the readiness of the national leadership of the party to reclaim Ekiti State.
“The entire national leadership of the PDP turned out for Ekiti in Abuja. It was overwhelming and shows that the party is ready to take over this state. By the grace of God, we will take over Ekiti by June 2026,” he said.
The governorship candidate said he had prepared all his life for the responsibility of leading the state and urged party members to intensify mobilisation efforts.
“There is presently nothing tangible we can point to as an index of development in Ekiti. When the campaigns begin, our message will be simple: life will be better. In terms of infrastructure, Ekiti is far behind under the APC,” he said.
Oluyede added that his administration would focus on wealth creation through entrepreneurship, innovation and youth empowerment.
“Ekiti is not creating wealth at the moment. If a people do not create wealth, they will continue to decline. We must change that mindset. We will encourage entrepreneurship, innovation and youth development. We will support our people to create wealth for themselves.
“Ekiti is an agrarian society, so our wealth creation agenda will be anchored on agriculture. We will promote commercial and industrial farming. The health sector can also perform far better than it currently does,” he said.
The Ekiti State PDP Chairman, Mr Tunji Odeyemi, said the party was putting all necessary structures in place to ensure victory at the polls.
“The calculations ahead of the 2026 election favour the PDP by all standards. However, we will not take anything for granted. Our members have been charged to intensify efforts at the ward and unit levels, and they are responding positively,” he said.
Recall that the PDP, on December 10, presented Oluyede with his Certificate of Return in Abuja and declared its readiness to sweep the 2026 governorship election in Ekiti State.
At the event, the party’s Acting National Chairman, Alhaji Tanimu Turaki, expressed confidence in the party’s ability to reclaim the state from the APC.
“The presentation of this Certificate of Return marks the beginning of the journey back to Government House, Ado-Ekiti.
“I assure the great people of Ekiti that we will win the 2026 governorship election. Our candidate, Dr Oluwole Oluyede, is a man of the people, and the PDP remains the only party with a genuine blueprint for shared prosperity and sustainable development,” Turaki said.