Sen. Opeyemi Bamidele (APC-Ekiti Central Senatorial District), a governorship aspirant on the ticket of All Progressive Party (APC) in Ekiti, says people are waiting to vote for him as their next governor in 2022.
Bamidele, popularly know as MOB, made the assertions on Friday at his home town in Iyin-Ekiti.
Addressing newsmen, he said, “What I need now is the ticket of our dear party to coast home to victory as APC Governorship candidate in June 2022.”
The aspirant said that he took care of the party when the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was in charge of the state for seven and half years between May 29, 2003 and Oct. 16, 2010 after which Kayode Fayemi took over as the governor.
According to him, I have been responsible for the sustenance of our party from May 29, 2003 when our leader, Niyi Adebayo left office as the first civilian Governor of Ekiti, and Oct. 16 when Dr Kayode Fayemi was sworn in as Governor of Ekiti.
Bamidele said that he paid the rent of the building housing the party secretariat for more than seven years.
“I annually make available welfare packages in terms of food stuff and gift items which are usually distributed across the 16 local government areas in the state.
“On various occasions, I also paid the rent of various Local Government Secretariats of our dear party across Ekiti.
“It was also in the course of my service to our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), as the Director-General of the Kayode Fayemi Campaign Organisation that the ghastly shooting incidence ofJune 1, 2018 happened to me, but we thank the Almighty God for saving my life to survive the incident.
“Between 2000 and 2002, I served as the National Director of Publicity of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) and have also deployed my God-given talents, professional skills and wealth of experience in the service of our dear party from AD to AC, ACN and APC.
“While I was aspiring for Senate in 2010, my friends and I had the privilege to donate seven brand new buses to our party (the defunct ACN) in Ekiti.
“As a thorough-bred party chieftain and grassroots mobiliser, I know how to take good care of our party.
“Our leaders, stalwarts and teeming members and this shall not be at the detriment of Ekiti people’s growth and development,” the aspirant said.
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, said that there was no other governorship aspirants that portrayed the kind of experience he had acquired in governance.
“I have served in all the three arms of the government and am bold to say that I excelled in all areas of services that I had performed and participated,” Bamidele said.
He cautioned other aspirants on their choice of words ahead of the primaries, noting that opposition parties would catch in on that during the governorship general election.
The aspirant added that it was important to run a campaign that is scientific, issue-based and one that is violence-free promises that they would be able to fulfil.
He appealed to leadership of the party, both at the national and state levels, to create a level playing field for all aspirants.
Bamidele said that outcome of the primary election would determine the performances and chances of the party in its quest to win the governorship election slated for June 18, 2022.