Ekiti 2026: PDP aspirant decries infrastructural neglect in Ekiti vows to send APC, Oyebanji packing

By Idowu Adebomi,Ado Ekiti

The ancient city of Ikere Ekiti was a mecca of  sort on tuesday when thousands of  Ekiti residents trooped out to welcome the  governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Wole Oluyede ahead of the 2026 gubernatorial election in the state.

Oluyede, who officially declared his intention to run for the gubernatorial race stormed  his ward at Ugele Aroku, Ikere Ekiti where party excos, loyalists  and party members welcomed him.

Addressing newsmen Dr Wole  decried the deplorable state of roads across the state, stating the incumbent government under Governor Biodun Oyebanji has not put any physical structure in place to make transportation easy for its residents

The guber hopeful also condemned various  infrastructural neglect  in the state declaring that the people of Ekiti were worse off in the last four years.

" PDP in Ekiti is alive and ready to challenge any political force and claim victory come 2026 Guber poll. Whoever is saying PDP is dead is unconnected with reality  as you can see the people have made the choice and the choice is Oluyede and PDP" he noted.

Oluyede urged the party members and Ikere Ekiti residents to get their Voter’s card, describing it as the only weapon to fight against political dispensation in the state and kick them out of power.

” Oyebanji has tried, but we’ll send him back to Ikogosi. I’ve always said one thing, the only reason Wole Oluyede will run for office in Ekiti is because nothing works. Can anybody truly say their lives are better today than they were four years ago? I don’t know anybody who can say that.

“Four years ago, the roads were better. People were happier. Their lives were better but what have we had? Four wasted years. That is the only reason I’m running, to make life better for our people.

“This is my homestead. The first time I came here was in 1970. I was about seven years old then and sadly, I can’t see any real change since then. Nobody has even changed their rooftops. That is how bad it is.There’s no running water, no tarred roads. Houses are collapsing, is that what we call growth? Is that a sign of progress? That is why I am running and I will keep running until things get better" he noted.

When asked if the waves of defections will not affect the PDP, Oluyede maintained that all the  political parties has people leaving if they so desire.

 "Political parties are free entry and free exit. If you disagree, you leave.Our party in Ekiti has no problem. The people who have left PDP are those who couldn’t find their footing. They are very few and we know them. It doesn’t shake the foundation of PDP. I hereby declare my intention to run. PDP’s presence in Ekiti is clear, the deaf can hear, the blind can see. We’ll get to Oke-Ayaba in 2026. Ikere is ready to take its rightful place in Ekiti politics”.

Also a former PDP national Chairman in Southwest, Chief Makanjuola Ogundipe described Oluyede as the right choice for Ekiti, saying Ikere has the voting capacity to oust the incumbent Governor, Biodun Oyebanji from office.

Likewise the leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Sehinde Daramola also urged party members to resist from running after incentives from the aspirant, saying this would not only taint their integrity but also affect Oluyede’s victory at the poll.

He lamented the deceit and dishonesty among members, stressing that it’s the major factor that has contributed to the division within PDP, urging them to play politics as it’s supposed to be.Addressing the crowd, the former Speaker of Ekiti State House of Assembly, Kola Oluwawole equally urged the youths, aged and women to rally around the aspirant, saying only a positive transition can make Ekiti reclaim its leadership role among the subnationals in the country.