Reports
Oluyede Scores Oyebanji Low As Ekiti Governor
By Joseph Sunday
The Governorship Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in the June 20 governorship election in Ekiti State, Dr Wole Oluyede has scored the incumbent Governor of Ekiti State, Mr Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji very low in terms of performance and ratings.
Oluyede made the revelation while responding to questions from pressmen at his Ikere Ekiti country home on Tuesday shortly after he was received by mammoth crowd of his supporters from across Ekiti State.
Speaking further, Dr Wole Oluyede expressed surprise at the massive turnout of his supporters who came to welcome him into Ikere Ekiti; where he used the opportunity to thank them for their love and for standing by him throughout the period he was in court to secure his lawful mandate and have a place in the ballot.
He also praised the Nigerian judiciary, asserting that the courts’ rulings had been fair and transparent, and expressed confidence that Ekiti would be better under his leadership.
Oluyede expressed sadness at the level of the economic difficulties currently in Ekiti State under the present administration and listed some of them to include erratic electricity supply and the escalating price of goods which have become a serious burden on ordinary citizens among several others.
He also expressed concern on the level of poverty bedeviling the people of Ekiti State, which he said is already negatively impacting on the education sector and the deplorable conditions of the roads in the State.
He stressed that residents deserve a government that will restore dignity, provide basic social amenities, and prioritize the welfare of the people.
Responding to the stance of the former Governor Ayo Fayose, publicly campaigning for the All Progressives Congress and Governor Oyebanji, Oluyede explained that he has no conflicts with senior party figures such as former governor Ayo Fayose or the FCT minister, who is also a PDP member, emphasizing that his only issues are with PDP members in the state who openly support other parties.
He described such actions as unproductive and counter to the party’s interest, stressing the need for unity within the PDP to secure victory in the upcoming election.
Also, speaking with newsmen after the welcome rally, the Ekiti State Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Rt. Honourable Tunji Odeyemi, described Oluyede as “the candidate of the people,” emphasizing that despite the disputes at the national-level of the party, the Ekiti State Chapter remains united and ready for victory in the June 20 governorship election. “We are battle-ready”, he declared.
He also described Dr Oluyede as the candidate of the PDP in Ekiti State who has been tested and duly elected, with all available parameters, and assuring that he will win.
Rt Odeyemi Olatunji also addressed concerns about the party’s internal challenges and the lack of federal support, declaring that the PDP in Ekiti remains one and indivisible. “There is no doubt that we have one PDP in Nigeria and Ekiti State, established since 1998. Attempts to undermine the party by factions or external interference will not succeed,” he said.
He criticized the current government for allegedly trying to weaken opposition voices and stressed the importance of allowing a functioning democracy where the opposition can operate freely.
Several speakers at the rally highlighted worsening economic conditions in Ekiti, pointing out fuel shortages, poor electricity supply, rising food prices, and declining standards in education. “The people have been deliberately impoverished,” one of the speakers declared, adding that residents deserve a government that restores dignity, provides basic social amenities, and addresses the state’s failing public services.