Ekiti: Opeyemi picks form, insists he's most deserving to succeed Fayemi

From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja

The Senator representing Ekiti Central Senatorial District in the 9th Assembly, Opeyemi Bamidele, has insisted that he is the most deserving person to succeed the incumbent governor, Kayode Fayemi, in next year’s Ekiti State governorship election.

He spoke in Abuja on Tuesday after picking the All Progressives Congress (APC) expression of interest and nomination form as an aspirant for the governorship race.

The Senator, who stormed the APC national secretariat in company of 21 serving Senators, said that he is favourably disposed to any mode of party primary the national leadership of the party opted for.

Extollinghis qualities, he said: “I am in this race because I am truly convinced that no man owns himself to himself alone. I have had privileges and opportunities, extreme and extended exposure in the three arms of government. One, as a solicitor of the Supreme court of Nigeria and as an attorney and council at law in the state of New York in the United States.

“All of these in the last 30 years has given me the opportunity to network extensively within the judicial arm of government. Today, by the grace of God, I am a member of the Body of Benchers which is the highest decision making organ of the legal profession.

“I have also been privileged to serve in the executive arm of government. I served in the cabinet of Lagos state for 11 and a half years under two governors and that was an opportunity to operate and get exposure within the executive arm of government,” he said.

Asked his chances considering the speculation that Governor Fayemi has annointed the immediate past Secretary to the Government of Ekiti State, Biodu Oyebanji, he dismissed it as name dropping.

“I believe that in politics all manner of rumours will take place. I also believe it is customary, traditional and conventional for people to drop the name of governors or presidents when they are seeking political office.

“But like I said, Ekiti today is privileged to have a governor who understands the language of democracy and development. I believe we have a governor who believes so much in the principle of internal party democracy.

“If it was the wish of our governor to anoint an aspirant, if it was the wish of our party to have an aspirant anointed, they will not be organising or be preparing to hold the party primary, neither will they be asking to come and spend N22.5 million to come and buy form. They would have said this is the candidate of the party by consensus.

“I do not believe that his excellency Governor Kayode Fayemi has anointed a candidate. I believe that other people are probably interested in dropping the names of the governor and time will tell.

“I believe this is going to be a very serious race and I also believe that what is important is for each aspirant to go back, discuss with the members of the party and reach a covenant with the members of yeh party- covenant of Service , convenant of commitment to yeh ideals, to the manifesto of yeh party and to show that we also understand what is actually pinching out people in their shoes.

“I want to emphasize that I am not in this race alone, by the grace of God I have yeh support of many people in n Ekiti including a good number of the leaders of our party

“I have come in here today with the 21 of my colleagues in the Senate who felt there is a need for them to come here with me and identify with my aspirations because they know the kind of person I am.

“I believe it is going to be a popular race and it is a collective aspiration on the part of many people. There is no room for name dropping,” he said.

On his relationship with Governor Fayemi, Senator Opeyemi said: “As to the relationship between Governor Fayemi and I, I will say succinctly, extremely cordial, it is a cordial relationship. And I emphasized again, our governor understands the purport of internal party democracy. You cannot stop people from dropping the governor’s name.”

“The governor has not told anybody, this is who I am supporting and if I know Governor Fayemi well enough and I believe I do, I don’t see him coming out at any point. Even if I were to be his own chosen candidate or anointed candidate, the best he can do is to have sympathy for me. Is still would not have raised my hand to say this is the anointed candidate,” he said.