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Tag: Bamidele

  • Fayemi’s wife visits Bamidele in London

    Wife of Ekiti State Governor- elect, Mrs. Bisi Fayemi, yesterday arrived London, United Kingdom, to visit former House of Representatives member, Hon. Opeyemi Bamidele.

    Mrs. Fayemi expressed joy that Bamidele has recovered well from wounds of gun shots fired by a trigger-happy policeman at the All Progressives Congress (APC) secretariat in Ado-Ekiti.

    The incident occurred during a welcome rally for the APC governorship candidate, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, shortly after stepping down from his former post as Minister of Mines and Steel Development.

    Bamidele was the Director General of the Kayode Fayemi Campaign Council.

    A statement on by Bamidele’s media aide, Ahmed Salami, revealed that Mrs. Fayemi was warmly received by the former federal lawmaker and his family in London.

    She participated in a praise and worship programme as part of activities to mark Bamidele’s 55th birthday.

    Mrs. Gateau also joined Bamidele, his wife, Yemisi, and other members of the family to cut the birthday cake.

     

  • Fayemi visits Bamidele in London

    Ekiti State Governor-elect, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has visited the Director-General of his Campaign Council, Mr. Opeyemi Bamidele in London, United Kingdom.

    Bamidele was shot on June 1 by a trigger-happy policeman at the premises of the All Progress Congress (APC) during a welcome rally organised for Fayemi after stepping down from the Federal Executive Council  (FEC) as Minister of Mines and Steel Development.

    The former House of Representatives member was rushed to the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital where he was operated upon and stabilised before being flown abroad.

    Bamidele, who has been discharged from the hospital is still in London as an outpatient.

    In a statement last night by his media aide, Ahmed Salami, Fayemi, who left Ado-Ekiti for Lagos immediately after inaugurating his Transition Committee arrived in London.

    The statement said Fayemi spent quality time with Bamidele, his wife, Yemisi  and other members of the family, Mr. Abiodun Bamidele and Mrs. Folasade Bamidele.

    Fayemi and Bamidele also reviewed issues regarding the  July 14 governorship election.

    The reunion sparked up celebration of victory and praise and worship  sessions from the two eminent Ekiti leaders.

  • Death rumour about me inhuman, says Bamidele

    The Director General of Kayode Fayemi Campaign Council, Opeyemi Bamidele, has urged the public to discountenance the rumour that he died in a London hospital where he has been receiving treatment in the past six weeks.

    Bamidele said the rumour was aimed at botching the ecstasy of victory recorded by the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in last Saturday’s election, Dr Kayode Fayemi, and turned Ekiti into a battle ground.

    The former House of Representatives member adverted the public to the already mounting tension in the state, saying it is a fallout of the election that went against the PDP government.

    He urged those he called evil doers to refrain from peddling information that could increase tension than what the people could contain.

    On June 1, Bamidele sustained gunshot wounds from an alleged mishandling of firearm by a policeman during a rally organised for Dr. Fayemi.

    A statement yesterday in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, by his media aide, Ahmed Salami, branded the rumour as an evil intention of the wicked.

    It said Bamidele is not only hale and hearty, but had greatly recuperated due to intensive medical treatment he had received and buoyed by fervent prayers of Ekiti citizens.

    The Fayemi campaign chief said the death rumour became worrisome due to his concerns about the already mounting tension in the state, which he believed such misinformation could aggravate.

    He said: “I spoke as a director general of the victorious campaign outfit for over 10 minutes in an audio clip I sent during the mega rally attended by President Muhammadu Buhari, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, governors and other party leaders in Ado-Ekiti.

    “I believe the evidence would suffice to convince anybody that I am still alive. Could it mean that these mischief makers thought such an audio address was fabricated?

    “I expect every Ekiti man to pray for my survival rather than wish me dead. In what way would they profit from my demise? Were they doing it for politics or to amass public sympathy?”

     

  • Bamidele: Oni, others won’t sabotage APC’s victory

    The Director General of the Kayode Fayemi Campaign Organisation, Hon. Opeyemi Bamidele, has said the All Progressives Congress (APC) entertains no fear about the victory of its candidate in the July 14 governorship poll, Dr. Kayode Fayemi.

    Bamidele said he has implicit confidence in the leadership of the party in Ekiti State, including former Governor Segun Oni and his group working for Fayemi to make the victory a resounding and collective one.

    The Director General made the remarks yesterday in a statement from his Media Aide, Ahmed Salami in Ado Ekiti.

    Recently, Oni was linked to a litigation purportedly filed in Abuja seeking the nullification of Fayemi’s victory in the party’s primary on account of his failure to resign as a minister in line with the party’s constitution and guidelines.

    Commenting on the event that has been causing ripples in the APC, Bamidele said he has no reason to doubt Oni and his commitment to Fayemi’s victory in this election.

    Bamidele said: “We are not ruling out the possibility of people having some ill-feelings about certain issues in our party, but that should not degenerate to the level where people can act as fifth columnists in their own party.”

     

     

     

     

  • Bamidele is Fayemi’s campaign dg

    •’He is still in nigeria, not abroad’

    Former House of Representatives member Mr. Opeyemi Bamidele has been named as the Director General of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship Campaign Council in Ekiti State.

    The APC candidate, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, announced this at a news conference in Ado-Ekiti yesterday, shortly after the party inaugurated the State Campaign Council.

    The State Campaign Council, he said, will work with the National Campaign Council headed by Kebbi State Governor Atiku Bagudu to achieve victory for the party at the July 14 governorship poll.

    Chairmen of the various committees announced include Otunba Niyi Adebayo (Finance) Femi Bamsile (Mobilisation Committee), Mrs Bisi Fayemi (Women Committee), Omowumi Ogunlola (Welfare and Protocol), Mr. Biodun Fasakin (Legal Committee), Mr. Taiwo Olatunbosun (Media and Publicity), Mr. Alaba Abejide (Contact), Dr Bayo Orire (Health), Mr. Femi Ogundare (Youth), Group Capt. Ropo Ayegbusi (Security) and Chief Awe (Special Purpose).

    Fayemi revealed that the flag off rally will be held on June 19  by the party’s national leadership while the final grand rally has been slated for July 10 to be led by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    He added that many bigwigs in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) will defect to APC in the course of the electioneering campaign.

    The APC flag bearer said the campaign will be taken to all the 130 towns and villages in the state to sell the party’s development agenda to the electorate.

    Fayemi, also used the forum to debunk a story in a national newspaper (not The Nation) that Bamidele has been flown to the United Kingdom for post-surgery treatment.

    The former Minister of Mines and Steel Development disclosed that he was with Bamidele in Lagos till 1.00 am on Sunday where he is recuperating from the wounds received at a shooting incident at the party secretariat on June 1.

    Fayemi explained that Bamidele had been nominated for the position of campaign chief before the shooting incident and would retain that position despite his present condition.

    “We thank God that those injured during the last (shooting) incident are recuperating well and I want to emphasize that Hon. Bamidele is in Nigeria, he has not gone anywhere.

    “Hon. Opeyemi Bamidele is still in Nigeria, I was with him this morning and he is fast recuperating well.

    “He is well and recuperating and anytime he decides to leave Nigeria, we will share the information. He intends to be in Nigeria until the times he decides to leave.

    “Hon. Bamidele has accepted to be the Director General of the Campaign and in his absence (for now), the Deputy Director General will carry on with the work in collaboration with the party.”

    Fayemi disclosed that the full campaign of the APC commences today with a visit to Ekiti East Local Government Area noting that house-to-house and unit-by-unit canvassing had begun earlier.

    He added that his team has been meeting with various interest groups like market women, core civil servants, teachers, artisans, private sector, youths, students, election observers, among others.

    Fayemi disclosed that another team led by the deputy governorship campaign, Chief Bisi Egbeyemi, has been meeting with traditional rulers seeking their support for the APC ticket.

    While noting that there is a lot of interest in the Ekiti poll, Fayemi said he and his team had met with representatives of the governments of the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union and the Election Situation Room.

    He said: “We have an intelligence that some individuals were planning to cause mayhem in the course of the electioneering but expressed confidence in the security agencies to deal with any situation that may arise.”

    Fayemi gave a commitment on behalf of his party to run a peaceful campaign while calling on security agencies to protect party members against any form of attack.

    He added: “Security agencies met with our chairman and chairmen of other parties and we have furnished them with the intelligence of a plot to wreak violence.

    “We believe our security agencies will do everything possible to prevent outbreak of violence. During our campaigns, we will continue to receive members from the opposition party (PDP).

    “Senior figures (In PDP) will keep decamping to our party and we will continue to receive them. It will be clear to you that by the time the process ends, no one will be left in the PDP.

    “As far as we are concerned in APC, we remain united and intact and every aspirant has donated one thing or the other including vehicles and their men to the campaign.”

    Earlier, the APC Chairman, Chief Olajide Awe, promised to give the State Campaign Council and its various committees maximum support to achieve victory.

    Awe urged party members to go to all nooks and crannies of the state to sell their candidate to the electorate.

  • Ekiti 2018: Bamidele named Fayemi’s campaign DG

    Former House of Representatives member, Mr. Opeyemi Bamidele, has been named as the Director-General of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship Campaign Council in Ekiti State.

     

    The APC candidate, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, announced the appointment at a news conference in Ado-Ekiti on Sunday shortly after the party inaugurated the State Campaign Council.

     

    The State Campaign Council, he said, will work with the National Campaign Council headed by Kebbi State Governor Atiku Bagudu to achieve victory for the party at the July 14 poll.

     

    Chairmen of the various committees in the State Campaign Council include Otunba Niyi Adebayo (Finance) Hon Femi Bamsile (Mobilisation Committee), Mrs Bisi Fayemi (Women Committee), Hon Omowumi Ogunlola (Welfare and Protocol), Mr. Biodun Fasakin (Legal Committee), Mr. Taiwo Olatunbosun (Media and Publicity), Mr. Alaba Abejide (Contact),

    Dr Bayo Orire (Health), Mr. Femi Ogundare (Youth), Group Capt. Ropo Ayegbusi (Security) and Chief Awe (Special Purpose).

     

    Fayemi revealed that the flag off rally will be held on June 19 by the party’s national leadership while the final grand rally has been slated for July 10 to be led by President Muhammadu Buhari.

     

    He added that many bigwigs in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) will defect to APC in the course of the electioneering.

     

    The APC flag bearer said the campaign will reach all the 130 towns and villages in the state to sell the party’s development agenda to the electorate.

     

    Fayemi, also used the forum to debunk a story in a national newspaper (not The Nation) that Bamidele has been flown to the United Kingdom for post-surgery treatment.

     

    The former Minister of Mines and Steel Development disclosed that he was with Bamidele in Lagos till 1.00 am on Sunday where he is recuperating from the wounds received at a shooting incident at the party secretariat on June 1.

     

    Fayemi explained that Bamidele had been nominated for the position of campaign chief before the shooting incident and would remain in that position despite his present condition.

     

    “We thank God that those injured during the last (shooting) incident are recuperating well and I want to emphasize that Hon. Bamidele is in Nigeria, he has not gone anywhere.

     

    “Hon. Opeyemi Bamidele is still with Nigeria, I was with him this morning and he is fast recuperating well.

     

    “He is well and recuperating and anytime he decides to leave Nigeria, we will share the information. He intends to be in Nigeria until the times he decides to leave.

     

    “Hon. Bamidele has accepted to be the Director General of the Campaign and in his absence (for now), the Deputy Director General will carry on with the work in collaboration with the party.”

     

    Fayemi disclosed that the full campaign of the APC commences on Monday with a visit to Ekiti East Local Government Area noting that house-to-house and unit-by-unit canvassing had begun earlier.

     

    He added that his team has been meeting with various interest groups like market women, core civil servants, teachers, artisans, private sector, youths, students, election observers, among others.

     

    Fayemi disclosed that another team led by the deputy governorship campaign, Chief Bisi Egbeyemi, has been meeting with traditional rulers seeking their support for the APC ticket.

     

    While noting that there is a lot of interest in the Ekiti poll, Fayemi said he and his team had met with representatives of the governments of the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union and the Election Situation Room.

     

    He said: “We have an intelligence that some individuals were planning to cause mayhem in the course of the electioneering but expressed confidence in the security agencies to deal with any situation that may arise.”

     

    Fayemi gave a commitment on behalf of his party to run a peaceful campaign while calling on security agencies to protect party members against any form of attack.

     

    He added: “Security agencies met with our chairman and chairmen of other parties and we have furnished them with the intelligence of a plot to wreak violence.

     

    “We believe our security agencies will do everything possible to prevent outbreak of violence. During our campaigns, we will continue to receive members from the opposition party (PDP).

     

    “Senior figures (In PDP) will keep decamping to our party and we will continue to receive them. It will be clear to you that by the time the process ends, no one will be left in the PDP.

     

    “As far as we are concerned in APC, we remain united and intact and every aspirant has donated one thing or the other including vehicles and their men to the campaign.”

     

    Earlier, the APC Chairman, Chief Olajide Awe, promised to give the State Campaign Council and its various committees maximum support to achieve victory.

     

    Awe urged party members to go to all nooks and crannies of the state to sell their candidate to the electorate.

  • Stable Bamidele moved to Lagos for post-surgery treatment

    Former House of Representatives member and All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant, Hon. Opeyemi Bamidele, has been moved to Lagos for post-surgery treatment.

    He was flown to Lagos aboard an air ambulance chopper with registration number 5N-BSW belonging to Flying Doctors Nigeria, which landed at about 3.05pm at sports field of Christ’s School, Ado-Ekiti.

    Bamidele was shot by a mobile policeman at the APC secretariat during a welcome rally for its governorship aspirant, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, on Friday.

    The former federal lawmaker had a surgery on Friday which lasted about four hours to remove two bullets lodged in his abdominal region and leg. He was in a stable condition before being moved to Lagos.

    The surgery was performed at Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH) by a team of eight doctors, including four consultants.

    A statement on Sunday by his media aide, Ahmed Salami, disclosed that Bamidele was moved to Lagos for treatment as a follow up to the surgeries he undertook for the gunshot wounds he sustained.

    Salami said although Bamidele’s health has stabilised appreciably, there was need for him to go for post surgery treatments to ensure quick convalescence for him to be able to join Dr. Fayemi’s campaign train, of which he has been playing a pivotal role.

    He said: “We want to assure our teeming supporters to discountenance the misinformation by rumour peddlers that his health had relapsed, saying he was in a stable condition and people were already having unfettered access to him at EKSUTH before he left for Lagos.

    “Dr. Fayemi and his wife Erelu Bisi Fayemi, Aare Afe Babalola, Engr. Segun Oni, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, Dr. Wole Oluleye, Barrister Victor Kolade and several other bigwigs in APC circle, including ordinary members of his party, were allowed access to him on the sick bed, confirming the appreciable level of his stability before being allowed to be taken out of the state.

    “Let me put it on records that his being taken to Lagos was caused by the dearth of equipment and personnel at EKSUTH.

    “As much as we salute the proficiency and commitments of the doctors in the hospital, let me also add that many of the consultants and equipment used in performing the surgery were hired from other hospitals.

    “To forestall a situation whereby we have to rely on bringing equipment that are readily available in other hospitals down to Ekiti to treat him, we decided to shift him to such hospital to fast-track his recuperation.”

  • Ekiti shooting: Bamidele moved to Lagos for post-surgery treatment

    Injured former House of Representatives member and All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant, Hon. Opeyemi Bamidele, has been moved to Lagos for post-surgery treatment.
    He was flown to Lagos aboard an Air Ambulance Chopper with registration number 5N-BSW belonging to Flying Doctors Nigeria, which landed at about 3.05pm at sports field of Christ’s School, Ado-Ekiti.
    Bamidele was shot by a mobile policeman at the APC secretariat during a welcome rally for its governorship aspirant, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, on Friday.
    The former federal lawmaker had a surgery on Friday which lasted about four hours to remove two bullets lodged in his abdominal region and leg. He was in a stable condition before being moved to Lagos.
    The surgery was performed at Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH) by a team of eight doctors including four consultants.
    A statement on Sunday by his media aide, Ahmed Salami, disclosed that Bamidele was moved to Lagos for treatment as a follow up to the surgeries he undertook for the gunshot wounds he sustained.
    Salami said although Bamidele’s health has stabilized appreciably, there was need for him to go for post surgery treatments to ensure quick convalescence for him to be able to join Dr. Fayemi’s campaign train, of which he has been playing a pivotal role.
    He said: “We want to assure our teeming supporters to discountenance the misinformation by rumour peddlers that his health had relapsed, saying he was in a stable condition and people were already having unfettered access to him at EKSUTH before he left for Lagos.
    “Dr. Fayemi and his wife Erelu Bisi Fayemi, Aare Afe Babalola, Engr. Segun Oni, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, Dr. Wole Oluleye, Barrister Victor Kolade and several other bigwigs in APC circle including ordinary
    members of his party were allowed access to him on the sick bed confirming the appreciable level of his stability before being allowed to be taken out of the state.
    “Let me put on records that his being taken to Lagos was caused by gross dearth of equipment and personnel at EKSUTH.
    “As much as we salute the proficiency and commitments of the Doctors in the hospital, let me also added that many of the consultants and equipment used in performing the surgery were hired from other hospitals.
    “To forestall a situation whereby we have to rely on bringing equipment that are readily available in other hospitals down to Ekiti to treat him, we decided to shift him to such hospital to fast-track his recuperation.”

  • Ekiti: Opeyemi Bamidele undergoes five-hour surgery, two bullets removed

    •He is recuperating, says aide •Fayemi target of assassination, APC insists, suspends campaign •Police: It was accidental discharge •Suspect, accomplice politician arrested

    Doctors to whom former House of Representatives member Opeyemi Bamidele was rushed after he was shot in Ado Ekiti on Friday have extracted two bullets from his body.

    He is now said to be in a stable condition after the five hour surgery.

    Bamidele was one of the six people who were hit when a mobile policeman unexpectedly opened fire in the direction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi at the party’s secretariat, Ado Ekiti.

    Fayemi was, at the time, surrounded by many party faithfuls including Bamidele.

    He and the other victims were rushed to the hospital.

    He immediately went under the knife to remove the bullets.

    One of the bullets was removed from his abdominal region and the other from his leg.

    The APC insisted yesterday that Friday’s shooting was all about eliminating Fayemi even as the police said it was a case of accidental discharge.

    But they said they have in their custody the policeman and a politician said to have taken him to the APC secretariat.

    The Nation gathered that Bamidele’s surgery was carried out by an eight man team including four consultants.

    It started at about 7pm and lasted till 12 midnight.

    Besides, Bamidele also received blood transfusion on admission to replenish the blood he had lost following the shooting.

    Early callers at the hospital to see him and the other victims were Dr. Fayemi; his wife, Bisi; legal icon, Aare Afe Babalola; former Ekiti State Governor, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo; APC gubernatorial aspirants, Senator Ayo Arise and Mr. Victor Kolade.

    Bamidele’s media aide, Ahmed Salami, yesterday dismissed speculations that he was in coma.

    Salami particularly debunked claims by Governor Ayo Fayose’s media aide, Lere Olayinka that Bamidele was in critical condition and was in the process of being flown out of the country for medical attention.

    He described Olayinka’s claim that Fayemi had not visited Bamidele as ‘devilish information.’

    He admitted that though Bamidele fell down and passed out when the bullets suddenly pierced his abdominal region and leg on Friday, he regained consciousness in no time.

    Salami said: “The way he fell in the full glare of the crowd and party supporters fuelled the insinuation that he is still in coma.

    “Let me assure our supporters in Ekiti and other concerned Nigerians that Bamidele is not in coma. He has regained consciousness and is fast recuperating due to prompt and the intensive medical treatment he received thereafter.

    “It is true that Bamidele has passed through major surgeries and the bullets have been removed from his abdominal region and leg. We implore our supporters to be calm and be law abiding whilst the situation is under control.

    “We appreciate our people for the outpouring of affection since the incident occurred and this underscored the strong bond of unity among the APC members and Ekiti people in general.

    “We want to say that the shooting was very unfortunate and unwarranted in view of the decorous and peaceful ways our people comported themselves from Akure, Ondo State capital via Ikere and to Ado Ekiti.

    “We charge the police authorities to investigate the immediate and remote causes of the shooting and bring whoever that was complicit to justice for a country that has respect for the sanctity of human lives to be attainable.”

    Salami condemned Olayinka for allegedly politicizing the shooting incident.

    He said that unknown to many, Fayemi personally drove Bamidele to the hospital and stayed with him till 1:00am am in company of his wife.

    He warned that the “sordid scenario surrounding the shooting of Opeyemi  Bamidele should not be deployed for morbid politicking the writer of this wicked misinformation was widely known for.

    “Bamidele is fast recuperating and stabilising and no one has ever contemplated flying him abroad for medical treatment, because the situation has not degenerated to this level.

    “Let me also emphasize that Dr Kayode Fayemi personally drove him to the hospital and stayed with him till 1:00am today in company of his wife, Erelu Bisi Fayemi.

    “Dr Fayemi could not have displayed empathy for anyone more than he had done for his friend.”

    APC insists: Shooting was attempt on Fayemi’s life

    The Ekiti State chairman of the APC, Chief Olajide Awe, declared yesterday that Friday’s shooting was an assassination attempt on the life of Dr. Fayemi.

    He therefore asked the Police to investigate the incident and bring the culprits to book.

    Awe, at a press conference in Ado Ekiti asked the police authorities to unravel what the suspect was doing at the APC secretariat at a time he was supposed to be on duty elsewhere.

    He said: “It was only God that saved the situation because our conclusion was that it was an assassination attempt on the life of our candidate, Dr. Fayemi.

    “The culprit missed his target and shot Bamidele and other party members. We have visited Bamidele and other party members at the hospital and they are responding well to treatment.

    “For Bamidele who was close to our candidate to have been injured like that, it was an orchestrated plan to snuff life out of our candidate.

    “We believe that it won’t be difficult for the Police to convince us that that man was not a paid agent. It is left for Police to unravel who was the man and who brought him to our secretariat.

    “The Police took away the culprit and he is still in their custody and we believe he will make useful statements to them.”

    The APC boss added that the party was suspending its campaign in honour of the injured persons and would unfold its full campaign programmes after their recovery.

    Police: It was accidental discharge

    The State Police Command in a   situation report yesterday said findings revealed that what happened was a case of accidental discharge on the part of the mobile police officer.

    It said: “On Friday, 1st June, 2018, at about 1700 hours, the policeman accidentally shot Opeyemi Bamidele and one other, but he has been arrested.

    “He is attached to 20 PMF, Ikeja, Lagos State, where he was posted on bank guard duties somewhere in Ikeja. The policeman came on illegal duty to Ekiti State.

    “A politician, who conspired and removed the said policeman from where he was posted by his Squadron Commander and came to Ado-Ekiti with him for an unofficial reason has also been arrested.

    “The victims of his accidental discharge are currently responding to treatment at the hospital, while the injured policeman is equally responding to treatment in protective custody.”

    Akeredolu: I’d nothing to do with shooting

    Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State said yesterday that  he had nothing to do with the Friday shooting in Ado Ekiti as claimed by the campaign organisation of the Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate in  Ekiti State.

    The governor  who rode with Fayemi from the Akure Airport to Ado Ekiti and was at the scene during  the shooting said none of his security details fired a shot at the APC Secretariat as alleged by the PDP.

    Akeredolu’s spokesman, Mr. Segun Ajiboye said the Ondo State governor “knew nothing about the identity of the suspect.”

    He described the allegation as “a wicked lie from the pit of hell.”

    He added: “Governor Akeredolu was in Ekiti State to show support for the APC and its candidate, Dr. Kayode Fayemi and none of the governor’s security detail fired a single shot throughout the rally in Ekiti.

    “Meanwhile, the Ekiti State Police PPRO, Caleb Ikechukwu , has disclosed that the policeman who handled the rifle was hired from Lagos. We hope this will put to rest dangerous allegation.”

     

  • Bamidele: I’m still in the race

    All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant in Ekiti State, Hon. Opeyemi Bamidele, has denied withdrawing from the primary scheduled for Saturday.

    Bamidele who said such a rumour is common at election period assured his supporters that he is still very much in the race for the APC ticket and that he is optimistic that he will clinch it.

    He spoke yesterday while addressing party delegates from all the 13 wards of Ado-Ekiti ahead of the primary in support of his governorship ambition.

    Bamidele, a former House of Representatives member, was reacting to a rumour making the rounds that he had withdrawn for the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi.

    Describing the rumour as “laughable,” Bamidele stressed there is no reason for him to quit when he was convinced that he has a good chance of winning  the party’s ticket.

    Bamidele said: “It is laughable that people are saying I have stepped down for Fayemi. When the minister was in government, I disagreed with him even as a sitting governor. I was brought up to speak truth to power, not minding whose ox is gored.

    “It surprises me that they didn’t say I was fronting for Engr. Segun Oni or Senator Gbenga Aluko, because I am close to all these people. But, this is part of politics.

    “I have traversed all the 177 wards and I am now visiting all the 16 local governments in search for delegates. At 54, if I want to step down, I won’t waste time, energy and money moving around.

    “Let me say that I am still in the race and on Saturday we are looking forward to getting the ticket by the grace of God.”

    He said he expected the leaders to conduct a free, fair and credible primary that would produce a strong candidate that will be able to dislodge the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) and retrieve the state back for the party.

    Counseling the delegates on the choice of candidate they should vote for, Bamidele advised that they should throw up someone who has the acceptability and clout to win as well as the knack to organise the party and make it a formidable force.

    He added: “APC needs an experienced person and someone with scientific understanding of what has gone wrong in Ekiti and how to resolve it.”

    “I have been commissioner for over ten years in executive arm, I have

    been a member House of Representatives and I am also a lawyer, which

    falls within the judicial arm.”

    END