Oni vs Fayemi: APC not at war in Ekiti – Bamidele insists

Despite the confusion caused by the suit filed by former Governor Segun Oni against the candidacy of the Ekiti State Governor-elect, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, an All Progressives Congress (APC) Senatorial aspirant , Hon Opeyemi Bamidele has downplayed the situation, saying it doesn’t connote that the party was at war with itself in the state.

The Director General, Kayode Fayemi Campaign organization maintained that all the controversies caused by the highly contentious move would be resolved with fairness and justice to all sides.

Bamidele , a Senatorial Aspirant in Ekiti Central District, added that the impression being created by the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) that the party is deeply enmeshed in a war of attrition was a lie taken too far and a figment of the imagination of those who were relying on crisis to win elections, rather than popularity.

Oni, who was a runner-up to Fayemi in the May 26 primary of the party, was contesting the eligibility of the governor-elect to participate in the APC internal election on the basis of his failure to resign as the Minister of Mines and Steel Development.

The APC constitution demanded the resignation of all appointed contestants 30 days to election, which had formed a basis for which the former governor was contesting Fayemi’s propriety to be allowed to contest the primary by the APC screening Committee.

In a telephone chat with newsmen in Ado Ekiti on Saturday, Bamidele advised party members to remain unperturbed by the anxiety the matter has generated, saying all the issues surrounding the litigation were being frontally addressed by the party leaders.

He said the PDP would be disappointed in the end by its impression that the looming crisis in APC necessitated by the alleged tension and clashes among political gladiators would give the party an edge in 2019, assuring that the matter will be handled with all sides getting justice and fairness .

Bamidele pointed out that the APC is well rooted among the grassroots of Ekiti and this , he said, reflected in the outcome of the July 14 governorship election.

“I am confident this matter will be resolved amicably . We thank God that this issue began even before the July 14 governorship election and APC still won with Chief Segun Oni’s supporters working assiduously to ensure D Fayemi’s victory.

“The PDP has no reason to rejoice over issue that would be resolved in record time. The litigation itself has confirmed that the APC remains the most democratic in the history of this country.

“Prior to the 2007 general elections, the PDP suspended a sitting Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar for suing the party for being unfair to him over the shoddy way the leadership then mediated in his rancor with President Olusegun Obasanjo, rather than deploying internal mechanism to resolve the logjam.

“But APC is different. The party never contemplated expelling Chief Oni for filing the suit against its candidate , who is now governor elect. Our party has been engaging the dramatis personae constructively and we can proudly say that we are optimistic that the crisis will be resolved and the suit will be withdrawn soon .

“Chief Segun Oni remains one of the most committed Ekiti leaders, he understands the dynamism of governance and that Ekiti needs stability at this time for Dr. Fayemi to be able to deliver democratic dividends to the people. He is not a man that is desperate for power and I know that good reasoning will prevail in this matter”, he said.

On his senatorial ambition, Bamidele said he relies on his past record of achievements to be able to clinch the party’s ticket and win the general elections.

He added that he served the people well during his stint at the House of Representatives between 2011 and 2015, where he represented Ado/Irepodun/Ifelodun federal constituency.

The APC chieftain stated that what he contributed then for the upliftment of the people and the present consultations he has been making across the five local governments in the district, would give him an edge over his main challenger, Senator Fatimat Raji-Rasaki.