The Senate Leader of the 10th National Assembly, Opeyemi Bamidele, has cautioned members of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ekiti State against disloyalty, saying alliances with opposition parties are akin to giving them ammunition to exploit them for recruitment.
Speaking with journalists in Ado-Ekiti during a meeting with critical stakeholders of the party in Ekiti Central Senatorial District, Bamidele said opposition parties such as the African Democratic Congress (ADC), is a relatively new political party actively seeking to expand its membership base nationwide.
The representative of the District explained that internal dissatisfaction among members can create opportunities for opposition parties to make inroads, warning that opposition groups are keenly observing for any signs of division that could be exploited for recruitment.
He urged party members to remain steadfast and committed, emphasizing the need for effective internal management to prevent any form of implosion within the APC.
Addressing the upcoming party primaries, Bamidele explained that all aspirants would participate in the process, regardless of whether they emerge through consensus or direct primaries.
The Senate Leader noted that Nigeria’s electoral framework provides for two modes of candidate selection, consensus and direct primaries and clarified that even candidates who secure consensus endorsements like himself must undergo a formal affirmation process.
He further advised aspirants, especially for House of Reps in the Senatorial District who may not emerge victorious to remain committed to the party, urging them not to interpret electoral setbacks as personal failures.
His words, “It’s nothing unusual that ADC is a new party that is looking for membership. It’s also a fact that, you know, in every situation, every institution, there are people that could be disgruntled, you know.
“And ADC has been making overtures to people. It’s not peculiar to Ekiti, it’s across Nigeria. What’s important to us and what we’re happy about is that ADC is not making any progress in their overtures.
“But it’s important that we continue to emphasize to our people the need to continue to be straightforward on the need to continue to be steadfast and to manage the affairs of APC in a way that there is no implosion.
“Because that is exactly what ADC and some other opposition parties are waiting for, so that they could have the benefit or the opportunity of membership recruitment from aggrieved members of APC.
“The electoral law has prescribed two modes of primaries. Everybody will face primaries, everybody, including myself.
“The only thing is that there are two modes of primaries. One is through consensus, the other one is through direct primaries.
“Even those of us that would emerge through consensus, we still have to go through the primaries, because I would still need people in all the 57 wards of Ekiti Central Central District to vote for me by affirmation.
“You still have to go there, be ready to conduct elections, until it’s obvious that there is no other person who is contesting. And then you still have to pull the question, to be sure that there is no one who is opposed to that consensus. If you have one person, just one person, being opposed to it, you still have to go through it. You still have to go through direct primaries.
“So, everyone will participate, but the point is, those who don’t have a consensus endorsement will have to participate in the direct primaries only. And for those who, for whatever reason, may not appear victorious at the end of the primary election, my advice always is that they would not see themselves as failures.
“Because if you have a position and you have more than one person who is aspiring to occupy that position, then definitely only one person will get in there. So the other people should just not see themselves as having failed.
“It could be that it’s not their timing yet. It could also be that certain circumstances or geopolitical considerations, might not favour them at the particular time. But what’s important is to remain consistent, to remain relevant within the party, knowing that by God’s grace, their own time will also come”.
On his part, Ekiti APC Chairman, Sola Eleshin commended party members for maintaining a peaceful atmosphere, describing Ekiti Central as a model of political stability.
Eleshin expressed confidence that the opposition would struggle to make inroads in the district, attributing this to the performance of the party’s representatives at the national level.
Addressing those vying for House of Representatives seats within the District, the chairman assured that while consensus arrangements may be explored, the party would provide a fair and level playing field where necessary.
“We are here to remind ourselves why our party in the Central must cooperate. We are the ones holding the Senate Leader title; that is very important to us, and we are very proud of it.
“We do not want anything to disrupt the peace we have been building in the district. For those contesting, there will be a level playing ground where consensus is not possible.
“Let us go to our units. We are targeting nothing less than 500,000 votes for Governor Biodun Oyebanji. For those opposing us, let us engage them and encourage them to join the moving train,” he stated.
The Secretary to the Ekiti State Government (SSG), Professor Habibat Adubiaro emphasised unity among party faithful, insisting that there was no division within the district.
“We in the district are one, and we should see ourselves as one. There is no division and we are going to tell the whole world that we are brothers and sisters. We will go wherever our leaders ask us to go,” she said.
2027 poll: Senate Leader warns APC members against alliance with opposition
