By Victor Akinkuolie, Ado-Ekiti
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Ahead of the primary election of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Ekiti State, a chieftain of the party and lawmaker representing Emure/Gbonyin and Ekiti East Federal constituency, Mr. Femi Bamisile, has issued a strong warning to members of the party against the repeat of what crippled the party in Zamfara and Rivers States in 2019 general elections.
Bamisile, a former Speaker of the State House of Assembly and the Chairman,posited that the shoddy conduct of the congresses and governorship primaries triggered crisis among contending forces in the two states and led to the judicial upturning of the elections won by party representatives in the state.
The former Speaker also backed agitations for power shift to the Ekiti South Senatorial District, having not produced the governor since 1999, describing the demand by politicians of that extraction as “just, equitable and fair”.
The governorship aspirant spoke in Ado Ekiti, on Sunday, while giving accounts of his stewardship as the representative of Emure/Gbonyin/ Ekiti East Federal Constituency .
Bamisile said: “Though, there are tendencies in Ekiti APC, nobody could deny that, but we are not divided . What is happening in APC will happen in every year preceding election year .
“But we held a Stakeholders’ meeting on Friday, July 2,2021, where our leader, Governor Kayode Fayemi assured that everybody will be involved in the coming congresses.
“I have made myself clear that the processes for the ward, local government and State congresses must be democratic. The idea of someone staying somewhere and concoct the list by proxy won’t work. Democracy should be allowed. We shouldn’t allow anything that can cause some people to be operating faction that can cause unnecessary litigation.
“We have to avert a repeat of what happened in Zamfara in 2019 where APC lost all positions it had won due to perceived illegalities and factional crisis,” he warned.
Describing agitations for zoning as apt and just, Bamisile said : ” I am not basing my contest on zoning , but mainly on my plans for the people of Ekiti, this was despite the fact that I am from the South.
“But what is fair is fair. In the federal, people are agitating that power should shift to the South because of gentleman’s agreement in APC . Why can’t this be replicated in Ekiti? I am part of those politicians backing power shift, which was basically for equity and fair- play”, Bamisile stated.
Bamisile assured that the crisis elicited by suspension of some Pro-Tinubu group called South West Agenda for 2023(SWAGA), will be resolved amicably by party leaders.
Giving accounts of his stewardship, Bamisile said he and others were instrumental to the allocation of N1.5 billion to Ekiti to rehabilitate the12 federal roads in the state in 2020 budget.
“Since 1999, Ekiti used to get highest budgetary allocation of N150 million for road rehabilitation, but it jumped to N1.5 billion in 2020, because we lobbied to get it done. All the 12 federal roads in Ekiti are getting attention today and works are ongoing on them.