A fresh political alliance is taking shape in Ekiti State as former PDP governorship candidate Wole Oluyede has met with Governor Biodun Oyebanji to strengthen support for President Bola Tinubu's 2027 re-election bid.
Oluyede, who contested against Oyebanji in the June 2026 Ekiti governorship election, met with the governor in Lagos on Thursday as both leaders discussed political cooperation and the development of the state.
The meeting marks a notable shift from the political rivalry that characterised the recent governorship contest.
Oluyede said the engagement was about more than politics, describing it as an opportunity for Ekiti leaders to put differences aside and work together for the state's progress.
He also reaffirmed his decision to support Tinubu's re-election and said political leaders across the state must unite if Ekiti is to deliver a strong result for the President in 2027.
The PDP chieftain said he planned to personally lead grassroots mobilisation across Ekiti alongside members of his Oluyede Progressive Alliance for Renewed Hope Agenda, known as OPARHA.
According to him, the mobilisation will extend across communities, villages and local government areas, with political leaders, traditional rulers, youths, women and other stakeholders expected to participate.
Oluyede said his target was for Ekiti to give Tinubu 90 per cent support in the 2027 presidential election.
He stressed that political disagreements should not permanently divide Ekiti people, describing unity and the state's development as more important than party differences.
The former PDP candidate also maintained that his cooperation with Oyebanji should not be interpreted as the abandonment of his political ambitions in Ekiti.
Oyebanji thanked Oluyede for what he described as statesmanship and commitment to the progress of Ekiti and national development.
The governor's Special Adviser on Media, Yinka Oyebode, confirmed that the meeting also covered issues relating to Oyebanji's second term, which is scheduled to begin on October 16.
The latest development follows Oluyede's earlier decision to withdraw his legal challenge against the outcome of the June governorship election and support Tinubu's 2027 presidential bid.
Oluyede's decision has added a new dimension to Ekiti's political landscape, particularly because he remains a prominent figure within the PDP despite backing the incumbent President.
He has previously maintained that the PDP would return to power in Ekiti in 2030, suggesting that his support for Tinubu does not amount to abandoning his longer-term political ambitions.
The emerging alliance also reflects the increasingly fluid political alignments ahead of the 2027 general election, as politicians from different parties explore cooperation around presidential politics.
For Ekiti, the immediate focus will be whether the new partnership can translate into effective grassroots mobilisation and deliver the level of support Oluyede has promised for Tinubu.