Fact-Check:  False! Ekiti PDP Governorship Candidate, Oluyede, Did Not Endorse Accord Candidate, Falegan 

Claim: Dr. Wole Oluyede, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in the Ekiti governorship election, has declared support for the Accord Party candidate, Hon. Opeyemi David Falegan.

Verdict: False. There is no official record or credible evidence to support the claim.

Full Story

A Facebook account bearing the name Hon. Falegan Opeyemi David published what it described as a press statement alleging that Dr. Wole Oluyede, the PDP governorship candidate in the June 20 Ekiti governorship election, had endorsed the Accord Party candidate, Hon. Opeyemi David Falegan.

According to the post, Dr. Oluyede spoke with journalists in Ikere-Ekiti, his hometown, and urged his supporters and well-wishers across the state to rally behind Hon. Falegan. The statement further claimed that Dr. Oluyede described Falegan as a young and energetic leader with the capacity, vision, and competence to govern the state effectively and serve the people with fairness, dedication, and humanity.

At the time of this investigation, information published by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) showed that fourteen candidates were contesting the election, including Dr. Wole Oluyede of the PDP and Hon. Opeyemi David Falegan of the Accord Party. See the screenshot of the claim below:

The post was already gaining traction online, prompting many users to question its authenticity.

Under Nigeria’s electoral framework, any formal withdrawal from an election or alliance arrangement involving a candidate would require official communication and due process. In the absence of such action, a candidate’s name remains on the ballot. Consequently, NDRFactCheck investigated the claim.

Verification

NDRFactCheck attempted to contact Dr Wole Oluyede’s campaign organisation through the telephone numbers listed on its official website. However, the calls did not connect.

Another call to one of the candidate’s aides, Mr Anthony Owolabi, said it was misinformation. He stated further that “Dr Oluyede, as the leading candidate to beat in the election, cannot step down for anybody.”

Further checks on the INEC website found no information supporting the claim. In addition, a review of reports published by credible media organisations revealed no evidence that Dr Oluyede had endorsed or declared support for the Accord Party candidate.

Conclusion

NDRFactCheck found no credible evidence that Dr Wole Oluyede withdrew his candidacy or endorsed Hon. Opeyemi David Falegan in the June 20 Ekiti governorship election. Although the claim appeared in a Facebook post on the Accord candidate’s page, it is not supported by INEC records,

Verdict: False.

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