Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State, Dr Wole Oluyede, has described the recent primary election conducted by the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the worst in the history of democracy. The medical doctor and businessman made the remark on Saturday, June 6, 2026, during an interview on Arise Television monitored by DAILY POST.
Oluyede argued that the ruling party in the state is deeply fractured and has left the state in a state of disarray. “The APC conducted a bad primary and the party is torn apart,” he said. He insisted that the PDP remains a cohesive and formidable opposition force, adding, “They thought PDP is dead in the state and we have shown that we are existing and a cohesive force.”
The PDP candidate contrasted what he described as the incompetence of the current administration with the historical performance of PDP governments in the state. “Putting in mind that the only government that has been able to perform in any shape or form in Ekiti historically has been the PDP, and if we look at the performances of previous government, this current one is definitely the worst performing government,” Oluyede stated.
Oluyede also expressed confidence in his party’s prospects ahead of the June 20, 2026 governorship election, claiming that the electorate is deeply dissatisfied with Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s leadership. “People are tired of an inept and inactive government that hasn’t really done anything for its people, and I’m sure that even if there is no alternative to Governor Oyebanji, he will still have lost election to himself,” he said.
The APC’s governorship primary in Ekiti has been a source of significant internal strife. Reports indicate that the exercise, which produced Governor Oyebanji as the party’s candidate, was a consensus arrangement rather than a direct election. This process excluded a contested vote, leading some political observers to question the internal democracy of the ruling party at the state level. Prior to the primary, the APC in Ekiti was also embroiled in controversy over the conduct of its House of Representatives primaries, with 11 suspected thugs arrested for allegedly plotting to disrupt the exercise, an incident linked by police to a serving federal lawmaker. Following the primaries, aggrieved aspirants, particularly in the Ekiti North Senatorial District, openly rejected the outcome, alleging widespread irregularities. The deepening crisis prompted some party stakeholders to appeal to President Bola Tinubu and the national leadership to intervene and “save the soul of the party”.
Oluyede’s criticism of the APC contrasts with the complex political history between the two parties. Interestingly, Oluyede himself was formerly a member of the APC. In 2020, he was summoned by the party alongside other high-profile members, including a former aide to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari and an in-law to President Tinubu, to face a disciplinary committee over allegations of anti-party activities.
The June 20 election is shaping up to be a high-stakes contest. Governor Oyebanji is seeking a second term in office, while Oluyede, an Australian-trained medical practitioner, is banking on his professional credentials and the promise of a performance-driven government to unseat the incumbent. Despite being excluded from the initial list of candidates released by INEC due to the prolonged leadership crisis in the PDP, Oluyede has remained defiant, insisting he will defeat the governor at the polls. A recent pre-election assessment report by the European Union raised concerns over the potential for widespread voter apathy and vote trading in the election, describing the political environment as tense but the exercise as largely uncompetitive. The EU report also noted that several political parties, including the PDP and ADC, are still battling unresolved litigation over their candidates, a factor that could dampen voter enthusiasm.
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