Bamidele saved Ekiti from APC, says Fayose

From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

Governor-elect in the just concluded Ekiti governorship election, Mr Ayodele Fayose, has applauded his Labour Party’s counterpart, Hon. Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, over what he described as his rare leadership qualities and maturity in handling recent political happenings in the state.

Fayose, who said Bamidele did not actually loose 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 said this in Ado Ekiti at the weekend when he met with Bamidele and key LP leaders at the party’s Secretariat where the two sides rubbed minds on future of Ekiti State.

Fayose who attended the meeting alongside his deputy governor-elect, Olusola Ojo-Eleka, had earlier solicited for Bamidele’s supports in running his incoming government.

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.

In his words, Fayose said ‘’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’’.

‘’ 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 in place APC. I divided PDP and you divided APC all for good intents and purposes. But 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’’.

‘’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 fifteen 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’’.