Bamidele’s defection, good riddance to bad rubbish — APC

Olajide Awe

In this interview with AKINWALE ABOLUWADE, the acting state Chairman, All Progressives Congress in Ekiti State, Olajide Awe, responds to sundry issues, including Opeyemi Bamidele’s defection to the Labour Party and  the 2014 governorship poll
 
 Going by the state of things in the All Progressives Party in Ekiti State, how well is the party faring?
We are in 177 wards and 16  local government councils of Ekiti State. The party is well on ground. There is the impact of government everywhere and we are meeting regularly.

 A prominent member of your party at the House of Representatives, Opeyemi Bamidele, has just defected to Labour Party. The LP says it has ruffled the APC by this.
That does not unsettle APC. You defect from a party for two reasons. One is if you are no longer comfortable within an environment, you can leave. Secondly, if your personal interest is no longer protected, you can also move.  So, moving from one party to another is either of personal and or collective interest. That Bamidele moved is in pursuit of personal agenda. We agree we voted him into the National Assembly but he is at liberty to make his own choice, which he has done. He did not consult us before taking that decision. We have been telling our people that it is good riddance to bad rubbish. He had not been part of us consistently for one year without any serious reason adduced for this. As he has taken his exit, I say good luck.

 Labour party is saying this is gain for them and loss for your party, how do you react to this?
I don’t see much of a loss if somebody who has not been seriously part of you leaves your fold. Somebody has not made any contribution to the development of your party. The constituency he represents has not seen him for the past two years. Substantially, he has not made a serious representation. And, he is not responsive to their yearnings and aspiration. If such a person should quit, you won’t feel it. You only feel the absence of somebody who is regular with you and who has been fully part of the system.

 You said he has not been representing his people well for the past two years. Why has your party been silent?
The constituency he represents met here, at least, about five times. There was even a time when they made an advertorial in the newspaper calling for him and denouncing some of the fake projects he said he had executed. When it gets to that level, you will know who is responsible and who is not. In Yoruba parlance, if you are sent on an errand, the person that sends you will expect feedback from you.
He is now dropping his party, moving to another place for a bigger assignment. People are not foolish, they will ask Bamidele and his new party questions. Bamidele has for a long time not been part of us positively in APC. We will not feel his absence in the party. It is normal in the journey which we are embarking upon; along the way, some people will fall apart. Not all those who started the journey in Egypt ended up in Cannan. Some ran back when they got to the Red Sea. Some got to Jericho. Only those who were  destined to get to the Cannan land got there. Opeyemi did not make it to APC. I believe he is a disappointment to his people as a representative. If a representative decides not to be responsive, it is another thing.

 If an elected representative on the platform of ACN (now APC) is alleged to have done nothing, doesn’t that mean an indictment on the party in general?
We would not take him to the butchery and slaughter him. We have called him several times. We published even in the newspapers an advertorial for him to come home and explain to his people.

 Was that not done when it was clear that things were already falling apart?
When a husband and his wife start quarrelling, people will not know because they lock themselves up in the room. It is when they come to the open that everyone will know. We realised that the representative is no longer responsive. So, we called him and made overtures to him not to go astray. But when he decided to go on a journey of no return, we said no problem. That was why I described him as good riddance to bad rubbish.

 With Bamidele’s defection, do you agree that LP is now a major contender in the coming governorship election in Ekiti State?
Where is LP and what have they done? Anybody can wake up any day and say he wants to be this and that. It is allowed. But the ultimate decision lies with the people. They are the ones to decide. In this part of the country, where we believe we have political education and culture, I think people are learning by the day. If anybody just turns around and says I want to be this or that, people will ask you what have you done before, what is your political antecedent.

 Bamidele and LP alleged that the APC is not democratic enough to allow a primary. Why does the party run from primaries?
As a party, APC has not started the process of members registration. Opeyemi stopped at ACN level, he did not get to APC.  The question is, why is he jittery? Has our party got to the level of primary? Why was he trying to pre-empt what will happen.

 He said the party would not allow primary to hold?
Who and who lobbied him to say there will be no primary? Who and who are in the lobbying group? He should name them.

 2014 is just round the corner; are you saying APC will still hold primary for its aspirants in the state if other people show interest?
Primary election is an inbuilt mechanism of political parties. It is of any form. It is a democratic element. The party has the final say over who carries the flag of the party in an election. You look at various backgrounds in conducting one. You look at the political geography. Positions have to be zoned, you will look at the person. We would not allow someone with criminal record and who is bankrupt to contest. We first have to screen. So many people will fall by the wayside. Whoever is affected by all this criteria will not be allowed to contest.

 Is there hope that primary, as an internal democracy mechanism, will be used by your party preparatory to the coming election in the state?     
I am telling you primary will be held for governorship election in Ekiti State. But it is for only those who qualify. If you are from a geo-political zone and you are a credible candidate, you cannot say those who are not credible should be allowed to run. Some people are not qualified to run a governorship election. They will just be spoilers, hence, you will have to remove the shaft from the substance. If you have a bad product, display it on the shelf and see whether people will buy it. A wise person will make use of a resource that is functional. In Ekiti State Dr. Kayode Fayemi is doing well. That does not foreclose the hope of other aspirants. But we have to use all the criteria. Today, as the party chairman, if you come to me and ask who is our candidate? I will say the governor.

 The opposition political parties in the state are alleging that the recent violence in Emure was the creation of the APC?

That is for the police to investigate and come up with their findings. Politicians can level any accusation against their opponents but the body that is saddled with the responsibility of unearthing the fact is the police. They should do their job. We shall know the truth when the outcome of police investigation is released.