We are still in the race to take over from Fayose - Bamidele, Ojo deny stepping down
- Opeyemi Bamidele and Kayode Ojo say they never stepped down for Fayemi
- Bamidele is optimistic that the APC will conduct free and fair primary election
- He stresses that he cannot step down when he thinks he has a better advantage to become governor of Ekiti
Two aspirants for the governorship seat of Ekiti state on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Kayode Ojo and Opeyemi Bamidele, have said they are still in the race against claims that they have stepped down for Kayode Fayemi.
Fayemi, a former governor and current solid minerals minister, is also in the race with other aspirants on the party platform.
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Biodun Borishade, the spokesperson for Ojo, said in a statement: “The news, strange and bizarre, is in the air that a certain Kayode Ojo in league with Michael Opeyemi Bamidele has concluded plans to step down for John Kayode Fayemi, a fellow aspirant in the coming Ekiti APC primary.
“This is absolutely false and mischievously designed to misinform and mislead the unsuspecting public and APC delegates. Ojo remains a leading contender for the Ekiti governorship seat.”
On his part, Bamidele also denied stepping down ahead of the primary election of the APC.
He described the rumour as laughable as, according to him, there is no reason to quit when he is convinced that he has a good chance of clinching the party’s ticket.
He also said judging from the assurances of Bola Tinubu and others at a recent meeting in Lagos, he believes the forthcoming primary election would be credible.
“It is laughable that people are saying I have stepped down for Fayemi. When the minister was in government, I disagreed with him even as a sitting governor.
“I was brought up to speak truth to power, not minding whose ox is gored. It surprises me that they didn’t say I was fronting for Segun Oni or Senator Gbenga Aluko, because I am close to all these people. But, this is part of politics.
“I have traversed all the 177 wards and I am now visiting all the 16 local governments in search of delegates.
“At 54, if I want to step down, I won’t waste time, energy and money moving around. I will not even pretend in telling the public about it.
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“If for any reason the delegates chose another aspirant and the party calls on me to play any role, I will play it as a loyal member because if I emerged as a candidate, l will expect other aspirants to work with me. It is no longer about the individual but about the party wining and the state and its people,” he said.
Legit.ng earlier reported that the minister of mines and steel development, Kayode Fayemi, has officially declared interest in contesting the July 14, governorship election in Ekiti state.
Fayemi, who was the governor of Ekiti state between 2010 and 2014, told journalists in an interview at his Ishan Ekiti country home on Saturday, March 31, that he would follow due process, starting with a formal notification of his intention to the leadership of the APC and the state secretariat of the party.
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Source: Legit.ng
