The Senate leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, has ruled out the possibility of contesting the Ekiti State governorship election in 2026.
Bamidele said his task was to work with other progressive-minded individuals in the state to join hands and support the incumbent Governor Biodun Oyebanji for a second term so that he can continue the excellent work he has been doing for the state.
The Senate leader spoke in Ado-Ekiti while inaugurating female and male hostels for medical students of the Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti (EKSU) which he facilitated.
The female medical hostel was named after former Ekiti State deputy governor, Prof. Modupe Adelabu while the male hostel was named after Late Chief Bisi Egbeyemi, former Ekiti state deputy governor.
The Senator representing Ekiti Central Senatorial District said that his decision not to vie for the governorship poll was in the overall interest of Ekiti’s development and the yearning of the people for the continuity of Oyebanji’s excellent performance and exemplary leadership.
He added that Ekiti was best in the hands of a competent and experienced leader like Governor Oyebanji whose purposeful leadership and people-oriented policies have brought massive development to the state and its people.
He appealed to any individual who might be offended by his decision to forgive him and accept it in good faith, saying he chose to form a partnership with Governor Oyebanji for the betterment of Ekiti people.
He said: “It’s not my intention to run for governorship in 2026. I’m sorry if I offended anyone. But I have said it in good faith and I have said it because I know it’s no longer an individual or anyone’s ambition. It’s about our state and the people who are hungry and underemployed. So, I chose to form a partnership that I know in the 8 years of BAO governorship will take Ekiti to greater heights.
“Everything we are doing is because we have a Governor who makes it possible for us to come home and move freely. Let me also say that I will gladly serve as chairman of Governor Oyebanji’s second term campaign. So, those who are expecting us to fight ahead of the governorship poll or those planning to set up a parallel governorship campaign structure for me will wait in vain”, he added.
Bamidele said he can carry out a lot of constituency projects across the six local governments that make up his Central Senatorial District because the Governor has created an atmosphere of peace and tranquillity in the state that is devoid of hostility and mutual suspicion.
He further said the peaceful atmosphere, coupled with the Governor’s open hands to the various political tendencies has encouraged everyone to contribute his quotas to the development of the state.
In his remarks, Governor Oyebanji hailed the commitment of the Senator Leader to Ekiti’s development adding that their exemplary performance underscored the importance of electing people of proven integrity and capacity as representatives in government.
The Governor called on All Progressives Congress (APC) members in the state to continue to give their maximum support to Bamidele in his efforts to contribute to the overall development of the state.
The Nation
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