Tag: join

House of Representatives member Opeyemi Bamidele has declared that he followed due process in joining the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Bamidele in a statement yesterday by his media aide, Ahmed Salami, condemned the position of APC ward leaders in his hometown, Iyin-Ekiti, who listed some conditions to be fulfilled before he could be admitted into the party.

He claimed that the ward party chiefs are being used by those he described as “unscrupulous leaders”, who are afraid of his astuteness and ingenuity in politics.

The APC leaders in Iyin Wards A and B in a communique at the end of a meeting said they learnt of Bamidele’s defection in the media as the ward executives  were not carried along.

In a 10-point communique, Ope Ogundele and Folorunso Adeuyi listed certain conditions for Bamidele before he could be admitted into the party.

Bamidele described the stand of the Iyin APC leaders as “not only antithetical to democratic norms and ethos but also hypocritical smacking of ignorance about the party’s modus operandi”.

He argued that Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution vested on individual citizens, the right to join or exit any party without hindrance, once such person has not been expelled or suspended from such  party.

Bamidele, who represents Ado-Ekiti/Irepodun Ifelodun Federal Constituency, said he told the National Chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun and the Deputy National Chairman (South), Segun Oni, and he got their blessings.

He wondered where ward executives got the affrontery to act in such a “brazen manner” saying such an action suggests that they are ignorant of the constitution and party operations.

“How on earth“would the ward executive have more powers than Odigie-Oyegun and Oni, who gave me the green light to cross over to the APC?

The lawmaker advised the ward chairmen against committing what  he described as “insubordination  and flagrant violation of the party supremacy”  in their  disastrous quests  to massage the egos of some politically irrelevant party leaders, whose political prowess had plummeted by their  haughty and cunning actions.”

He said: “If these ward leaders had not  displayed naivety, they ought to know that going by the normal party practice and conventions, somebody of  my  political standing must contact the national leaders of the party and effect the defection after getting the go-ahead, before thinking of contacting my ward for registration.”

Bamidele urged the  ward  leaders to concentrate their energies on how to redirect the nosediving fortunes of the party, rather than  allowing some egocentric leaders to mislead them .

He said: “Where were these  people and their so- called  leaders when Bamidele was heralded in to APC rally with a standing ovation in Ado Ekiti when he came at the instance of the national leaders of the party to become part of Buhari/Osinbajo presidential campaign project in Ekiti State?

“Why did they not reject the massive contribution of Bamidele and his group between January and March 28 that led to Buhari securing 41per cent of votes in Ekiti State?

“Genuine APC leaders   in Ekiti State are happy that Bamidele is  back within the fold because they are confident that with his coming things can not be the same in Ekiti State.

“I am sure the national leaders of APC know what to do to abate this political nuisance.”