Peoples Democratic Party chieftain and former Commissioner for Works and Transportation in Ekiti State, Mrs Funmilayo Ogun, said on Monday that her party would dislodge the All Progressives Congress from the state in the 2026 governorship election.
Ogun, a former PDP State Secretary, who said that the party had the followership, strength and popularity to reclaim the state from Governor Biodun Oyebanji in 2026, said: “Never again will the party allow the personal interest of individuals to override the corporate interest of committed members”.
This came barely 24 hours after former Governor Ayodele Fayose of the PDP publicly endorsed Oyebanji of the APC for a second term in office given the incumbent’s performance within a year in office.
Ogun, who was a commissioner under Fayose’s administration, in a statement in Ado Ekiti on Monday, titled, ‘PDP on course to reclaim Ekiti with a female governor in 2026’, pleaded with party members and supporters to “reset your mindset and have the conviction that we can reclaim the state from Oyebanji in 2026.
“Also, the state is now ripe to produce a female governor. The dream will be realised in 2026 with the PDP flaunting its magic wand and displaying its avowed love for gender balancing, unlike the APC. The PDP should come together and start planning ahead of the 2026 governorship election. The coast is clear considering the abysmal failure of the APC at the national level.”
She regretted that some leaders who benefited greatly from the PDP had abandoned the party and were no longer concerned about its survival and return to its winning streak.
Ogun, who assured that she would champion the reclamation battle and become the first female governor in Ekiti State added, “There is a difference between passion for development and personal interest. Some people are only after personal interest and not collective interest. We won’t allow this in PDP again.
“A party that ruled the country for 16 years and at a time produced 30 out of the 36 governors can’t be said to be a pushover or not well mobilised to win a state like Ekiti. We are on course and we will fulfil this dream.
“I am convinced we are taking over power in 2026. I will be the next governor of Ekiti State and the first female governor in Nigeria. The young generation of PDP should believe that they can sit at the table and eat, rather than depend on the crumbs falling off the tables of leaders that had already seated. This party belongs to all of us”.
The PDP former scribe, who promised to declare her intention to run for the governorship position to the party and Ekiti people at the appropriate time, said, “It is no longer going to be business as usual. The party will now be handed over to committed leaders and not merchants.”
