Fayose Declares Support For Oyebanji Says PDP Dead In Ekiti

Former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose has dismissed the chances of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2026 governorship election, describing the party as lifeless in the state.

He instead threw his support behind the incumbent governor, Biodun Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress (APC), predicting an easy victory for him in the upcoming poll.

Fayose, who governed the state twice on the PDP platform, made the remarks in Ado Ekiti on Monday while speaking with journalists. He said the PDP no longer has a visible structure or active membership in Ekiti, insisting that the party has collapsed at both state and national levels.

According to him, the PDP aspirants vying for the party’s ticket ahead of Saturday’s primary election are “fooling themselves,” as the platform lacks the strength to challenge the ruling APC. The former governor maintained that he remains a PDP member but would not deny the progress made under Governor Oyebanji.

Fayose said the governor’s performance in the last three years has earned him the people’s trust, adding that his administration has brought stability and growth to the state. He, however, ruled out joining the APC, saying his support for Oyebanji was based on merit rather than politics.

The PDP has four governorship hopefuls seeking its ticket — Dr Wole Oluyede, Mrs Funmi Ogun, Mr Funso Ayeni, and Peter Obafemi — while Oyebanji has already been confirmed as the APC candidate. The African Democratic Congress (ADC) also has five aspirants in the race.

Reacting to Fayose’s remarks, the PDP Chairman in Ekiti State, Tunji Odeyemi, described the former governor’s comments as unfortunate. He said the party has been revived and is prepared to challenge the APC in next year’s election.

Odeyemi noted that the PDP aspirants are actively engaging delegates across all 177 wards ahead of the primaries and expressed confidence that the party will spring a surprise at the polls. He maintained that Fayose’s views do not represent the reality of the PDP’s renewed strength and readiness for the 2026 contest.