Opeyemi Bamidele: I stand better chance of picking Ekiti APC guber ticket — direct or indirect primary

Opeyemi Bamidele, senator representing Ekiti central, says he is confident of clinching the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship ticket for the state.

Bamidele spoke when he received a group known as Ekiti Concerned Professionals at his office in the national assembly on Monday.

The group presented the senator a cheque of N22.5 million to purchase his expression of interest and nomination forms to enable him to participate in APC’s governorship primary poll for Ekiti.

The governorship election is scheduled for June 18, 2021.

The legislator said he stands a better chance of picking the ticket because he is loved by the people.

“As to my own aspirations in Ekiti, I have no doubt that whether it is direct primary or it is indirect primary you know, I stand a good chance by the grace of God to win the primary,” he said.

“I know that I am loved by the people of Ekiti state and I know that my own aspiration goes beyond pasting posters on the walls in Ekiti because I am a poster that is already posted on the minds of the people of Ekiti state.

“I’m looking forward to a very decent governorship race, a race that is popular, a race that is decent, a race that is driven by ideas and on issues and a race that is violence-free.

“We have in place a governor who is well educated, who is respected by all, who understands the language of democracy and development, who I also know will ensure that there is an atmosphere for everybody to aspire and I believe that Ekiti has become a cynosure of all eyes in this country and a lot of people are interested in what is about to happen in Ekiti.”

The senator said the electoral bill is for the citizens yearning to have free and fair elections.

“It’s about moving Nigeria forward, those who felt strongly about the idea of putting a clause in our proposed electoral bill to guarantee direct primaries as a method of choosing candidates of political parties meant well for the country,” he said.

“Some of those who are trying to oppose it, some of them also have logical arguments.

“Regardless of who posited what, who was opposed to what, the national assembly has passed a bill in that regard, and the bill is awaiting presidential assent. I want to believe that the president also means very well for Nigeria, he will take a decision he believes is in the best interest of Nigerians.”