A Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti, Mr. Bimbo Daramola, has described Sen. Opeyemi Bamidele as the most eligible aspirant for the Ekiti governorship seat in the June 2022 election.

Daramola, a former member of the House of Representatives, made the assertion during an interview with newsmen on Tuesday, in his country home, Ire-Ekiti, in Oye Local Government Area.

The APC chieftain said that after studying the credentials of all the aspirants that have so far indicated an interest in contesting on the platform of the party, “it is clear that only Bamidele possesses the necessary qualities to govern Ekiti at this critical time.’’

He said that while other aspirants have what it takes to contest for the exalted position, a vote for Bamidele, popularly known as M.O.B, would bring participatory government and more dividends of democracy to the state.

“I took my time to say okay who can do justice to Ekiti after Gov. Kayode Fayemi?

“All of them reached out to me, Biodun Oyebanji, Kayode Ojo, Femi Bamisile, my friend of so many years also came; and Opeyemi Bamidele, for my support and to join their respective campaign team.

“The only one who did not come to me for whatever reason is Bamidele Faparusi and I know why he did not come because he knows I would tell him the truth.

“The question is where do we go after Kayode Fayemi says bye, bye here. What next? And that is a critical question that I am asking APC and Ekiti people. Opeyemi Bamidele comes to this election with too many of credentials.

“Both character and competence, he has it. You cannot be in the government of Lagos State for twelve years unbroken if you do not have anything to offer.

“ If you cannot contribute and deliver, you cannot keep your place in Lagos State cabinet by reason of familiarity.

“MOB has navigated himself, not by reason of contact, not by reason of anything, but by reason of what he carries and he has kept himself relevant in Lagos till today, I believe he is well prepared for good governance in Ekiti,’’ Daramola said.

The former House of Representatives member, who spoke on his relationship with Gov. Fayemi and the leadership of APC in Ekiti, said that the current leadership of his party has not been fair to him.

He described himself as one of the few members, who had made sacrifices to ensure that the party took over the mantle of leadership from the then Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti.

Daramola said that it was so unfortunate to hear the announcement by the party some time ago that he had been suspended, and at another time that he had been reabsorbed because he stands for the truth.

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The party chieftain asserted that APC in Ekiti was badly ripped now and getting further ripped by reason of the aspirations of people.

“Who will deny that there’s no ‘Tokan tokan’in Ekiti? Who will deny it now that there are no SWAGA and Ekiti stakeholders?

“Somebody would come to me and say I am a paper politician. I will say okay, I hear. You are on Facebook, I will say I hear; you are not relevant, I will say I hear.

“I challenge any politician and I say that humbly; any politician in Ekiti, in APC that in one day has brought 302 decampees to APC in one day.

“It was Paul Omotosho that came to receive them. I clothed them and the pictures are there,” Daramola said.

On the issue of agitation by the South Senatorial district for the governorship to be zoned to them, the APC chieftain said that this would not in any way affect the aspiration of his preferred candidate, Bamidele.

He said that division among the people from the zone had always been responsible for their failure to present a governorship candidate

“There was no time a governor emerged from Ekiti that any zone did not contest. No time. All the zones were contested. So you cannot put the logic of saying that certain people should go and wait.

“When Gov. Kayode Fayemi and others contested, Adeyeye contested, late Bode Olowoporoku contested and several others contested from the South,” Daramola added.

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He, therefore, advised the people to vote wisely for the right candidate.

“My words for Ekiti people and particularly to APC delegates, they should use their tongues to count their teeth and know where they are coming from,” the party chieftain said.