The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in the June 20 governorship election in Ekiti State, Dr. Wole Oluyede, has maintained that the poll did not meet the standards of a free, fair and credible election.
In a personally signed statement titled *”A Message of Gratitude, Hope and Commitment to the People of Ekiti State,”* released in Ado Ekiti on Sunday, Oluyede thanked party members and supporters for their commitment throughout the election.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Governor Biodun Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress (APC) the winner of the election with 319,224 votes, while Oluyede polled 40,543 votes to finish second.
Oluyede said the official results reflected the support his party received from voters.
> “The official results declared by INEC credited our great party with 40,543 votes. To everyone who stood firmly with us and refused to exchange your conscience for personal gain, I owe you a debt of gratitude,” he said.
Despite the outcome, Oluyede insisted the election failed to meet acceptable democratic standards.
According to him, reports from polling agents across the state’s 16 local government areas, as well as his own assessment, pointed to alleged voter inducement, intimidation, operational challenges involving the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), delayed accreditation and other irregularities.
He said he was consulting with the leadership of the PDP and his legal team before deciding on the next course of action.
“As someone who respects the Office of the President and President Bola Tinubu, every step we take after this election must be guided by wisdom, responsibility and respect for our democratic institutions,” he stated.
Oluyede said any decision would be guided by the rule of law, the interests of his supporters and his commitment to justice and democracy.
He assured supporters that their sacrifices would not be in vain, pledging to continue defending their interests and advocating for the development of Ekiti State.
The PDP candidate also criticised unnamed former party members who, according to him, had benefited politically from the party but later declared it politically irrelevant in the state.
He said their claims had been disproved by the level of support the PDP received during the election.
Oluyede added that his participation in the governorship race was driven by a desire to defend democratic choice and restore hope in the state’s political process. He also recalled pursuing legal action before the election to ensure the PDP remained on the ballot.
