Bamidele: Buhari’s Second Term Bid Will Be a Walkover After Tinubu’s Efforts

By Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti

A member of the sixth House of Representatives, Hon Opeyemi Bamidele, has assured Nigerians that the All Progressives Congress (APC) will be more fortified to win the 2019 presidential poll after the reconciliation efforts of the former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

Bamidele expressed confidence in the ability of Tinubu to deliver on the onerous task, saying he has the experience and the political dexterity to bring the warring factions within the party together.

In a statement issued in Ado Ekiti yesterday, Bamidele said President

Muhammadu Buhari’s presidential reelection bid would be a walkover  by the time Tinubu concludes his job.

The governorship aspirant stated that the APC has a lot of aggrieved bigwigs in its fold, saying the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) relied on them to win if eventually they defect to their party.

He said the PDP does muster political strength to defeat Buhari if the APC can put its house in order.

“By the time Tinubu will reach out to the Senate President, Bukola Saraki; former Governor of Kano State, Dr. Rabiu

Kwankwaso; Governor Aminu Tambuwal, Hon James Faleke, Senator epresenting Kaduna Central, Shehu Sani, and those who felt shortchanged in one way or the other, the PDP would have known the game is up.

“Elections are not won through ground standing, it is a practical thing. President Buhari enjoys electrifying and cult-like supports in North Central and the Northeast, and the party is firmly rooted in the Southwest where Tinubu holds sway.

“I am confident by the time we restore peace, unity and friendship to our party, the job will be easy, in fact , the presidential election to the best of my knowledge and based on parameters that are needed to win elections in Nigeria, President Buhari’s second term will be a walk over,” he boasted.

He commended President Buhari for discerning promptly that the APC was in crisis, saying this will help the party to regain its strength and return to how it was in 2015.

According to Bamidele, “The PDP lost the last presidential election because the then President Goodluck Jonathan couldn’t decipher in time that the fortunes of the party were fast depleting and drifting not until they lost out.

“But because of President Buhari’s respect for the party people and the fact that he knew the people will do the voting and not by rigging, he decided to put the party in the right shape.

“It is in the same manner we want our party to approach Ekiti State governorship election. The National Working Committee (NWC) under the chairmanship of Chief John Oyegun and the presidency must do independent findings to know who is best fit to win for our  party.

“It will be a colossal mistake for the party to stay in Abuja and assume that someone whose strength they didn’t know will win for APC that will be disastrous for our party.

“President Buhari has displayed commitment to open and transparent electoral system in Nigeria. He has unflinching belief in the sovereignty of the people through election, so Ekiti State APC primary must reflect this. The primary must produce a marketable candidate to prosecute the election.

“The outcome of the Anambra State governorship election where Governor

Willie Obiano won in all the 21 local government areas was instructive that the electoral power belongs to the electorate and not power brokers.

“With the right candidate, and going by the mood of the people in town, APC can win the July 14 poll if the right steps are taken in getting our candidate.”

Related Articles