Politics
Ekiti 2018: ‘I am a very qualified candidate for the job’, says Daramola.
FORMER House of Representatives member and a governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti state, Hon. Bimbo Daramola has reiterated that he is a very qualified candidate to take over from the incumbent governor of the state, Ayodele Fayose.
Daramola, while addressing newsmen shortly after his declaration for governor in Ado Ekiti, the state capital recently, stated that with his educational background, pedigree and vast experience with issues to do with governance, he is the best-placed candidate to transform the state.
He emphasized on the need to elect credible leaders with a proven track record, “I gave my people the best representation during my time in the House of Representatives where I sponsored bills that changed lives and there are life-changing projects to show in my constituency. I am a grassroots politician who is very close to the people, because our party, the APC, is about the people.
“By the grace of God, I am going to serve Ekiti better, if my party chooses me as its candidate and the electorates elect me as their governor. I believe I am the best candidate for the job and facts are there for all to see”.
“I know the history of the APC in Ekiti. I have been an active member of this party since 2006. I was active in the era of the Action Congress (AC) and later the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). We fought the battle for Kayode Fayemi to become governor for three and half years and I later went to the House of Representatives.
“So, I know the party in and out and I can say authoritatively that what we stand for is justice and fair play. I can also say that there are three ‘P’s in any party structure: the party, the people and politics. Out of the three ‘P’s, the people are the most important, because without the people, the party and its politics are useless.
“This party has a rich history and as an insider, I know where we got it wrong and I know how we can correct past mistakes and forge ahead stronger. If our members are not united or get what they deserve, then politics and party become useless and irrelevant. We must continue to build this party and be hopeful that we will return to power in 2018”, the ex- lawmaker continued.
The Director-General of Kayode Fayemi Campaign Organisation in the 2014 election against Governor Fayose, Daramola also disclosed that there was nothing Dr Fayemi’s government did not do to put the party in a vantage position to win the election. “But, let me tell you, we failed to address some little, little things within our party. We are going to address all these by the grace of God. I have the education, I have the pedigree, I have the experience which will come in handy, if I am elected by the good people of Ekiti State as their governor”, he vowed.
Reacting to challenges in the party, the governorship hopeful implored the State Working Committee to handle the primary with caution and to also take cognisance of the records and the contributions of each of the aspirants. “The Exco members must join hands with stakeholders to unify the party for effective mobilisation of people at the grassroots. All we need is fairness and unity. That is why I am assuring that I will be accountable to the leaders and treat them with utmost respect, if given the ticket.
“I am a team player and I respect the party leadership a lot.They should rate us based on our antecedents, loyalty and contributions to this great party, because we must not take chances in this forthcoming election. It is an election we should devote our time and energy to win”, he said.
Adewole Adebayo, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), has declared his willingness to step aside in the 2027 elections if a stronger candidate emerges to lead the party.
Adebayo made this statement on Sunday during an appearance on Inside Sources with Laolu Akande, a socio-political programme aired on Channels Television, monitored by Mega Icon Magazine.
“Everybody knows that I have an aspiration. I’m working on it, but God is the author of tomorrow; we don’t even know who is going to be around in 2027,” he said.
The lawyer and politician emphasised that his ambition would not stand in the way of a more capable leader who could address Nigeria’s challenges.
“It is my prayer to God that if there is a person who God thinks is better than me to fix the problem of Nigeria, my ambition should not stop that person because we want a country that works. That is the kind of thing we are working on at this time,” he added.
Adebayo assured Nigerians that the SDP would present a candidate worthy of national support, capable of unseating President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the next election.
He further stressed that the SDP would avoid divisive politics based on religion and ethnicity.
“What used to be an easy discussion – with religion and ethnicity – has become explosive now. So, we will not use the SDP forum to try to bifurcate our people into different zones,” he noted.
According to him, the party aims to produce a candidate whose emergence will be met with widespread approval.
“When we make a choice in the SDP, there will be resounding joy outside the SDP, and Nigerians will say: ‘Okay, finally, this platform has given the country a chance’,” Adebayo said.
The lawmaker representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency, Engr Aderemi Oseni, has congratulated the Oyo State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prince Moshood Olayide-Abas on his appointment as the Board Chairman of the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Kaduna, by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Oseni, who also serves as the Chairman of the House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), described Olajide’s appointment as a recognition of his dedication to the party and his contributions to its growth in Oyo State.
In a statement issued on Saturday by his media aide, Idowu Ayodele, the lawmaker commended President Tinubu for considering competent and loyal party members for key federal appointments.
“I extend my heartfelt congratulations to our leader, Prince Abas Olajide on this well-deserved appointment. His leadership and commitment to the APC in Oyo State have been exemplary. I have no doubt that he will bring the same level of dedication to this new role,” Oseni stated.
He also congratulated other notable figures from Oyo State who were appointed to federal boards, urging them to justify the confidence reposed in them by delivering on their mandates.
“This is not just an opportunity but a call to service. I encourage all appointees to work diligently in support of President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda,” he added.
Oseni expressed optimism that these appointments would further strengthen governance at the national level and reinforce the APC’s political structure in Oyo State.
Less than a month after former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai left the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to join the Social Democratic Party (SDP), the party’s North-West leadership has denied that he is a registered member.
In a statement issued in Kaduna, the North-West Assistant Secretary of the SDP, Idris Inuwa, asserted that neither the ward nor the state chapter of the party has any record of El-Rufai’s membership.
“It has come to our notice that certain individuals, including Nasir El-Rufai, are being rumoured to have joined the SDP. However, neither the chairman of Kaduna North Local Government in Kaduna State nor the leadership of Unguwar Sarki ward has any record of these memberships,” he stated.
Inuwa, therefore, urged El-Rufai and other prospective members to follow the proper membership process if they wish to officially join the SDP.
“We advise him and any other interested individuals to adhere to the established procedures for membership registration,” he added.
Furthermore, the North-West Zonal Assistant Secretary rejected the dissolution of the Kaduna State working committee of the SDP by the party’s National Working Committee.
“While we recognise the growing interest of individuals and groups in joining the SDP, we emphasise that there are well-defined guidelines and constitutional provisions governing membership admission. The Kaduna State chapter of SDP remains open to all prospective members who comply with the established procedures,” Inuwa stated.
It will be recalled that El-Rufai resigned his membership of the APC and defected to the SDP on 10 March 2025.
In his resignation statement, El-Rufai cited concerns over what he described as the “capricious trajectory” of the ruling party, which he alleged the leadership had failed to address.
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