APC must present quality candidate to defeat Fayose’s man, says Bamidele

A former member of the House of Representatives Opeyemi Bamidele, said yesterday that the All Progressives Congress (APC) must present a quality candidate to be able to defeat the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP candidate in the July 14 governorship election in Ekiti State.

He said delegates to the party’s shadow poll should vote for the aspirant who is capable of providing good leadership and turn around the fortunes of the state for good.

He listed other criteria to include, the pedigree of the aspirant in respect of his track record in their past public assignments, saying the party must not make the mistake of presenting someone who sees himself as an emperor.

He said the large number of governorship aspirants would further brighten the chances of the APC at the election.

He said the primary should not only be free and fair, there must be a level-playing ground for all aspirants.

Bamidele, who was the  Labour Party candidate in the last election, said all those contesting the governorship ticket must work together to win the main election. He assured that he would abide by the outcome of the May 5 primary.

Bamidele, who picked up the nomination form at the party headquarters in Abuja yesterday, said he was not threatened by the decision of Minister of Mines and Steel development Dr. Kayode Fayemi, to seek the APC ticket.

He said: ” Dr Fayemi is eligible. The world is meant for those who can dare, I don’t see him as an obstacle. I am ready to accept the outcome of the primary,  once it is  free and fair.  I am sure, he  will be willing to work with me if I win and I will be willing to work with him,  if he wins the ticket.

“I  hope there will be  a free exercise.  If the leadership is seen to be free and fair and we have the assurance of Chief Odigie Oyegun the last time he came to Ekiti State. All of us must work together. That’s the lesson we took home after the last governorship  election. It is no longer about any individual, it is about Ekiti state.”

Appraising the development in the state under the administration of Ayodele Fayose, the former federal lawmaker who described Ekiti as an agrarian state said what was lacking in the state was the right leadership to harness its resources

“I want to be an unusual governor,  in the sense that I don’t want to be coming cap in hand every  month to Abuja for monthly allocation.We are an agrarian state and I want to tap into our potential for agricultural produce.

“Lagos took billions to Kebbi  for rice farming, Ekiti can tap into that and attain the feat of food basket. We can conserve the farm produce and take it to the next step as an agro allied industry. Ekiti has enormous mineral resources and it can be in our soil in the next 1000 years except  we have the right leadership. What Ekiti is lacking is resource managers.

“I believe God has prepared me and I have the state of mind to give the right leadership.”

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