Dr Wole Oluyede, the Peoples Democratic Party's (PDP) governorship candidate in the June 20, 2026, Ekiti State election, has met with Governor Biodun Oyebanji in Lagos and declared his readiness to set aside party lines to support President Bola Tinubu's re-election bid in 2027. Oluyede, in a statement released in Ado Ekiti on Friday, described the Thursday meeting as a follow-up to an earlier visit Oyebanji paid him on June 21, the day after the governorship election.
Meeting a Return of Gesture, Says Oluyede
Oluyede explained that the Lagos meeting was part of returning the governor's visit and paying back the gesture. He emphasised that the discussion focused on Ekiti's future and unity among political leaders across party lines.
"Governor Oyebanji came to visit me on June 21, immediately after the election. We discussed Ekiti and how we could all come together as brothers to move Ekiti forward. Today's meeting is part of returning that visit and paying back the gesture. For me, it is about reciprocity, but more importantly, it is about Ekiti," Oluyede said.
Grassroots Mobilisation Plan for Tinubu
The former governorship candidate, who leads the Oluyede Progressive Alliance for Renewed Hope Agenda (OPARHA), said the talks covered the need for unity and collective action among political leaders. He stressed that public declarations of support must translate into concrete mobilisation at the grassroots level.
Oluyede said he would personally lead campaigns across all 16 local government areas in Ekiti, bringing together political leaders, traditional rulers, community leaders, youths, women, professionals and business owners to work towards delivering a decisive result for Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
Call for Unity Beyond Party Lines
He called on all political stakeholders in Ekiti to put aside their differences, arguing that the state's contribution to the President's re-election depended on a united front. Oluyede said the cooperation between him and Governor Oyebanji should be understood within the wider context of Ekiti's development, rather than as a purely political arrangement.
He described the engagement as "an opportunity for the two leaders to discuss the need for unity, cooperation and collective action beyond political party differences." The meeting underscores ongoing realignments ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with Oluyede's pledge positioning him as a key mobiliser for Tinubu in Ekiti State.
