Ahead of the January 22, 2022 primary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) where its candidate for Ekiti governorship election is expected to emerge, one of the aspirants, Honourable Olufemi Bamisile has said the imposition of the candidate would not work in the Ekiti State chapter of the party.
The member of the House of Representatives made the declaration on Wednesday at the APC national secretariat while speaking with journalists shortly after submitting his nomination form.
The aspirant said no one but the Party faithful in the South West state would pick its candidate for the election.
He said: “I just told you I’m a seasoned politician and I have worked my way through politics from the grassroots up to where I am today. I really sincerely don’t believe in such and for me, from day one, it doesn’t bother me.
In Ekiti State, anointing a particular candidate would not go far. It is the wishes of the people, the will of God and what the people again want as simply defined in democracy, the government of people by the people and for the people.
“Have you forgotten that there is a hand that oversees the affairs of men but is unseen by individuals, that is God and I want to lay claim to what you just said and I take you back to history.
“The former Governor of Imo State had anointed a candidate who happened to be his in-law and got the one that was precious to him, his own personal interest as a Senator, the former Governor of Ogun State, he also anointed a particular candidate. So the basic thing that I am trying to illustrate to us here is this: If the wish of God if the pronouncement of God is on a man it doesn’t matter what obstacles that stand in the way. ‘
Speaking on the Electoral Act Amendment Bill that suffered a setback in the passage as a result of President Muhammadu Buhari withholding of his assent, the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on the Federal Road Maintenance Agency, (FERMA) said he was hopeful that Direct Primary would not be wished away.
“There are so many issues that came up on that and I want to challenge anybody, the issue about funding, who fund the process and I want to equally make it clear here, the funding of a direct primary is not the government. It is the political parties.
“So these are just mere excuses on not wanting to assent to the bill. But it doesn’t really matter. You see, governance, what it takes is the process and we are not where we are today just by a flick of a finger. We have been like this since 1999 and things are being improved on a daily basis and I can assure you, as things go by, even if you go into this primaries, there is going to be direct primaries, I make bold to say that because there are so many pending issues that are there that are hung on the party as we speak.
“Nobody wants to go into an election and lose at the end of the day at the judiciary. So I’m certain there is going to be direct primaries. No matter what issues are bound on the issue of not signing the direct primaries, these things should be overcome. We are going back to the House on the 18 of January, it might be too late for the Ekiti primaries but like I said, there is 65% assurance that there would be direct primaries.
“It behoves on the national executive to take a reasonable decision and I’m almost certain that with the capacity of the person that leads the party, Mai-Mala Buni, he’s a sitting Governor himself and I understand he understands politics and we have seasoned lawyers, that are working for the party, they will interpret the basic things that go for the party. I’m certain that sense will prevail at the end of day,”
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Ekiti 2022: Bamisile submits form, says no one will impose candidate
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