…..Says he never abandoned politics after governorship election
A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ekiti State and Convener of the Oluyede Progressive Alliance for Renewed Hope Agenda, Dr Oluwole Oluyede, has declared his readiness to mobilise support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election in the 2027 presidential election.
Oluyede, who spoke with journalists on his return from a two-week holiday, said he would deploy the structure of OPARHA to embark on a grassroots mobilisation campaign across the 16 local government areas and 177 wards of the state.
He said his decision to proceed on holiday after the June 20, 2026 governorship election did not mean that he had abandoned politics or withdrawn from political activities.
Rather, the PDP chieftain said he spent the period immediately after the election consulting with political stakeholders and making moves to bring members of the PDP and the All Progressives Congress together ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Oluyede said the consultations were driven by his belief that political differences should not override the collective interest of Ekiti State and Nigeria.
He said, “After the June 20 election, I did not leave politics and I did not abandon the political landscape. I continued with consultations and political engagements. I needed to listen, engage and understand where we were going as a people.
“During that period, I made several political moves and held consultations aimed at bringing people from both the PDP and APC together because, beyond party politics, we must begin to think about what is best for Nigeria and, particularly, what is best for Ekiti State.”
He disclosed that part of his post-election engagements was a meeting with President Tinubu after honouring what he described as a fatherly invitation from the President.
According to him, the meeting provided an opportunity for both of them to discuss the political future of Nigeria and the need for collaboration ahead of the 2027 election.
Oluyede said he and the President agreed to work together towards the 2027 election, adding that the meeting further strengthened his conviction that political leaders should be willing to work together in the interest of the country.
“I honoured the fatherly invitation of Mr President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu. We had a very meaningful discussion, and we both agreed that we must work together towards 2027.
“For me, that was not about abandoning my political identity. It was about putting Nigeria and the interest of our people first,” he stated.
Oluyede also revealed that he subsequently met with the Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, where they discussed the political future of the state and the need for stakeholders to work together for the benefit of Ekiti.
He said the engagement with Oyebanji was part of efforts to build a broader political understanding across party lines.
“I also met with our Governor, Biodun Oyebanji. We had a frank and constructive discussion, and we agreed that regardless of our political backgrounds, we must be on the same page when it comes to the development and future of Ekiti State,” he said.
The PDP leader explained that it was after completing the series of consultations and political engagements that he proceeded on his two-week holiday.
He said the break enabled him to rest after what he described as a demanding election period and reflect on political developments in Ekiti and the country.
On his support for Tinubu’s second-term ambition, Oluyede said his position was based on conviction and his assessment of the policies and reforms of the present administration.
He argued that Nigeria needed continuity to enable the Federal Government consolidate the reforms it had initiated and translate them into sustainable economic and social benefits.
Oluyede said the difficult decisions taken by the administration should be viewed within the broader objective of repositioning the Nigerian economy and creating a stronger foundation for future development.
“I believe President Bola Ahmed Tinubu deserves a second term. Nigeria cannot continue to start all over again every four years. If we have begun a process of reform, we must allow that process to mature and consolidate,” he said.
He urged Nigerians, particularly the people of Ekiti State, to assess the Tinubu administration based on its policies, programmes and direction rather than partisan sentiment.
Oluyede also announced plans by OPARHA to take the campaign for Tinubu’s re-election directly to the grassroots.
He said the organisation would deploy its structures across the 16 local government areas and 177 wards of Ekiti State for door-to-door mobilisation, community meetings, stakeholder engagements and consultations with youths, women and community leaders.
“We are going to the people. OPARHA will go from door to door, house to house, ward to ward and community to community.
“We will explain why we believe President Tinubu deserves another term and allow our people to make an informed decision,” he said.
The former governorship candidate further set a target of securing 90 per cent of registered voters in Ekiti State for President Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
Oluyede said OPARHA would work with Governor Oyebanji and other stakeholders to achieve the target.
“I want to assure Mr President that we are ready to work with Governor Biodun Oyebanji and every stakeholder who believes in the progress of Ekiti and Nigeria. Our target is 90 per cent of the registered INEC voters in Ekiti State.
“It is a huge target, but it is achievable. We are going to work for it. We will take the message to every ward, every community and every household. We will mobilise, convince and encourage our people to come out and vote,” he stated.
He said the target was not merely about winning an election but about building a political bridge among different groups in Ekiti and strengthening the relationship between the state and Federal Government.
Oluyede urged members and supporters of the PDP, APC and other political tendencies who shared his vision of a prosperous Ekiti and a stronger Nigeria to join the mobilisation for Tinubu’s re-election.
He said the 2027 election should be approached as an opportunity to consolidate development rather than deepen political divisions.
“The time has come for us to look beyond party labels. PDP, APC or any other platform, we are all Ekiti people.
“What should unite us is the desire to see our state prosper and Nigeria move forward,” he added.
Oluyede assured President Tinubu that OPARHA would remain committed to grassroots mobilisation and would deploy its structures across Ekiti State in support of his 2027 re-election bid.
