Ekiti PDP crisis deepens as Wike, Turaki factions clash over ticket

By Boye Oyeyemi

The Peoples Democratic Party in Ekiti State has been thrown into fresh turmoil following a renewed clash between factions loyal to Nyesom Wike and Taminu Turaki over the party’s leadership and governorship ticket ahead of the June 20 poll.

According to reports, the camp aligned with Turaki insisted it remained the authentic leadership of the party in the state, presenting Wole Oluyede as its governorship candidate.

Addressing journalists, the faction’s State Chairman, Tunji Odeyemi, faulted the congress organised by the rival group, describing it as unconstitutional and not binding on the party.

Odeyemi maintained that his faction’s mandate, secured on October 1, 2025, was still valid, noting that no court had set it aside.

He added that a Federal High Court ruling had affirmed Oluyede as the party’s candidate and directed the Independent National Electoral Commission to recognise him.

The Turaki camp also accused the opposing faction of distracting the party from preparations for the election, describing its actions as a deliberate attempt to cause confusion.

However, the Wike-backed faction dismissed the claims, insisting that no governorship candidate had been officially recognised by the party in Ekiti State.

Buttressing his stance, pro-Wike faction’s State Chairman, Lanre Omolase, said a Court of Appeal decision upholding the Abduraham Mohammed-led National Caretaker Committee had settled all leadership issues, stressing that Oluyede’s candidacy was neither submitted nor endorsed by any recognised party organ.