PDP Candidate Oluyede Disagrees with Ekiti Election Results

The Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate for the Ekiti State election held on June 20, Wole Oluyede, has rejected the results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

This was revealed in a statement from Ado Ekiti on Monday, issued by the Director of Media and Communications for the Oluyede Campaign Organisation, Sanya Atofarati.

The Returning Officer, Prof. Adenike Oladiji, announced the results, declaring Biodun Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress as the winner. Oyebanji received 319,224 votes, while Oluyede got 40,543 votes, placing him second. The African Democratic Congress candidate, Dare Bejide, received 12,872 votes.

Fifteen political parties took part in the election.

It’s worth noting that the ADC candidate, Bejide, also rejected the results on Monday. He said, “My immediate reaction is to reject the result of the election in its entirety because, in my view, the exercise conducted on Saturday was not credible.”

Atofarati mentioned that the Oluyede Campaign Organisation “hereby unequivocally rejects the results announced by INEC concerning the recently concluded Ekiti State Governorship Election.”

He assured PDP members, supporters, and the people of Ekiti State that “we remain committed to the pursuit of justice through all lawful and democratic means available to us. We urge our members, supporters, and indeed all lovers of democracy to remain calm, peaceful, and law-abiding while we consult widely and take appropriate steps to defend the mandate freely given to our candidate.”

Atofarati stated, “The declared outcome does not, in our considered view, reflect the true will and democratic aspirations of the people of Ekiti State. The election process was deeply flawed and fell far short of the standards of credibility, transparency, fairness, and integrity expected in a democratic society.”

“Throughout the election, our agents, supporters, and numerous voters reported widespread irregularities, including vote buying, voter intimidation, harassment of opposition supporters, and other practices that undermined the sanctity of the electoral process. These incidents, taken together, cast serious doubts on the credibility of the exercise and the authenticity of the results subsequently declared.”

The campaign spokesperson expressed concern about “the conduct of some security operatives who, rather than maintaining neutrality and ensuring a level playing field, allegedly acted in ways that compromised public confidence in the electoral process.”

“We believe that the actions and inactions of certain security authorities contributed significantly to the atmosphere of fear, intimidation, and unfairness witnessed during the election.”

“The events surrounding this election suggest a process whose outcome appeared predetermined, thereby depriving the people of Ekiti State of their fundamental right to freely choose their leaders. This is not only a disservice to democracy but also a dangerous precedent that must not be allowed to stand.”

“We urge our members, supporters, and indeed all lovers of democracy to remain calm, peaceful, and law-abiding while we continue to consult widely and take appropriate steps to defend the mandate freely given to our candidate,” the statement concluded.