Dr. Wole Oluyede has secured the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship ticket in Ekiti State after winning a tightly contested primary held in Ado-Ekiti on Saturday night.

The exercise drew thousands of party supporters and 535 accredited delegates from all 177 wards. Security agencies, including the army, police, civil defence and mobile police units, maintained order throughout the long voting process, which started around 10:30 p.m. and ended at 1:49 a.m.

Chairman of the Primary Election Committee, Senator Ibrahim Dankwambo, announced the results, declaring Oluyede winner with 279 votes. Funso Ayeni followed closely with 239 votes, while Funmilayo Ogun received 17 votes. Another aspirant, Peter Obafemi, had earlier withdrawn and endorsed Oluyede, saying he stepped down to promote unity within the party.

In his acceptance speech, Oluyede described the victory as a collective win for the PDP in Ekiti. He praised the national leadership for ensuring a transparent process and acknowledged the role of National Chairman Ambassador Iliya Damagum and Southwest leader Governor Seyi Makinde in delivering what he called a credible primary.

Oluyede pledged to restore public confidence and “reclaim Ekiti from misrule,” urging party members to unite ahead of the general election. He said the outcome signals renewed hope for the state.

Runner-up Funso Ayeni, while commending the turnout, raised concerns about alleged manipulation and said he would rely on internal party channels to seek redress.

Ekiti PDP Chairman, Tunji Odeyemi, expressed satisfaction with the peaceful conduct of the primary, noting that the party had disproved predictions of internal crisis. He called on all aspirants to put the contest behind them and work together toward winning the governorship election.

He added that the emergence of a candidate marks an important step in the PDP’s plan to return to power in Ekiti.