Ekiti 2014: How God Used LP Candidate, Bamidele To Make Me Governor – Fayose

Ekiti State Governor-elect, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, has acknowledged that Labour Party, LP, candidate, Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, played an important role in his victory at the poll last Saturday. Fayose who said this when he visited the LP secretariat in Ado-Ekiti where he met with its leaders explained that the role played by Bamidele was similar to his in the rerun governorship election. “I want to thank you for making yourself available for Ekiti people as an agent of change through June 21 election. What you did is a replica of what I did in the past when I used the Labour Party to prevent a bad government installed by PDP then from continuing in office and we succeeded in putting APC in place. I divided PDP and you divided APC all for good intents and purposes. But I thank God that he has used you to play a similar role today. The journey is not too far and you have what it takes to lead our people,”he said. “By age, experiences and exposure, you are indeed a leader of your people. I have a lot of respect for you and that’s why I have called you more than 15 times after this election insisting on seeing you. I see you as a brother and a fellow fighter from the same side of the divide.” Fayose, who said Bamidele did not actually lose anything in the Saturday poll also added that by all standards, the lawmaker remains a reference point of integrity, service and voice of the voiceless in Ekiti any day. The governor-elect who attended the meeting alongside his deputy governor-elect, Olusola Ojo-Eleka, had earlier solicited for Bamidele’s support in running. He said the incoming government would need Bamidele’s wealth of experience in governance and politics to move Ekiti state forward. He praised Bamidele for succeeding in saving the state from Governor Kayode Fayemi and APC which he described as their common enemies. “By all standards you are a leader and a gentleman, that’s why I have always identified with you even before and after you contested this election. In an election there must be one governor, so as far as I’m concerned, you have lost nothing in this race. You can only count your blessings. That’s why I felt you have fought back good fight and emerged a victor” Bamidele in his remark said the convergence of the meeting was a turning point for Ekiti people and their democratic experience since politicians from various political platforms were beginning to come together to discuss the future of their people. He assured that politicians from Labour Party in Ekiti State were ready to contribute their quota to the development of the state.