A faction of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ekiti State has outlined conditions that must be met before Dr Wole Oluyede can be recognised as the party’s governorship candidate for the June 20, 2026 election.
The faction, aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, made its position known on Friday during a press briefing in Ado Ekiti.
The state chairman of the faction, Lanre Omolase, who claimed legitimacy based on court rulings and the outcome of the party’s recent congress, said Oluyede had not yet been formally recognised by the party structure under his leadership.
Omolase noted that the governorship hopeful emerged from a rival faction led by Taminu Turaki, which he said had been restrained from parading itself as the party’s national leadership.
He maintained that for Oluyede to be accepted as the party’s flagbearer, he must formally align with the recognised leadership and integrate his supporters into the party’s structure from the ward to the state level.
According to him, such steps are necessary to ensure unity and compliance with the party’s constitution.
The factional chairman added that any eventual recognition of Oluyede would be conditional on his full and unconditional submission to the party’s leadership and organisational framework.
Oluyede’s candidacy had earlier been affirmed by the Court of Appeal, while a recent meeting between him and Wike in Abuja was interpreted by his supporters as a move towards reconciliation within the party.
However, Omolase insisted that the process of integration had not been completed, stressing that due process must be followed.
He expressed confidence in the party’s preparedness for the forthcoming governorship election, noting that the ongoing developments reflected internal democratic processes and organisational discipline within the PDP.
