Ekiti PDP guber candidate withdraws tribunal case, declares support for Tinubu
By Boye Oyeyemi
The Peoples Democratic Party candidate in the June 20, 2026 Ekiti State governorship election, Dr Wole Oluyede, has withdrawn his petition challenging the outcome of the poll, saying the decision was reached after consultations and careful reflection.
Oluyede, who lost the election to Governor Biodun Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress, said his action was guided by national interest and a desire to avoid prolonged litigation, while pledging to support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.
In a statement issued on Sunday in Ado-Ekiti, the former governorship candidate said abandoning the case should not be interpreted as an endorsement of every aspect of the election, adding that the exercise exposed critical issues that political stakeholders must address ahead of the next general elections.
He said, “My withdrawal should not erase the lessons of the election. The results and the conduct of the poll deserve careful study as we prepare for 2027. After wide consultations and personal reflection, I chose the path of statesmanship.”
Oluyede dismissed claims that he accepted financial inducement from the APC or Governor Oyebanji to discontinue the suit, insisting that his integrity was never up for negotiation.
“I did not collect a kobo from President Bola Tinubu, Governor Biodun Oyebanji, the APC or anyone else to withdraw my petition. My decision was based solely on conviction and the broader national interest,” he stated.
The PDP candidate also denied speculations surrounding a meeting with Oyebanji and Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele shortly after the election, explaining that the discussion centred on the development of Ekiti State and the release of some of his supporters who were detained during the poll.
He further reaffirmed his commitment to President Tinubu’s second-term ambition, urging political actors to begin grassroots mobilisation early for the 2027 presidential election, while maintaining that the Ekiti governorship poll offered valuable lessons on voter participation, political engagement and campaign strategy.
