Ekiti 2022: I Possess Right Qualities to Win, Says Ex-Lawmaker

Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti

A governorship aspirant in Ekiti State All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Bamidele Faparusi, has said he remains the only APC governorship aspirant in Ekiti State with untainted integrity, competence, spread and acceptability, to win for the party in the June 18 election in the state.

Bamidele said this in Ado Ekiti yesterday while briefing newsmen after returning from Abuja where had obtained his nomination form to contest for governorship in the forthcoming election in the state.

Faparusi, a former member of the House of Representatives, who vied for the same position in 2018, said he possesses all the qualities to win the election for APC in 2022, because of his “pedigree, political experience, competence , integrity and closeness to the grassroots.”

The immediate past Commissioner for Public Utilities and Infrastructures, said: “I strongly believe that I have what it takes to win the election for APC, because of my pedigree, political experience and my closeness with the grassroots.

Explaining why he chose to run for the election again, Fappy, as he is fondly called by his teaming supporters said: “Today I have the privileged to obtain the nomination form our great party, the APC to vie for the office of the governor of Ekiti state.”

“I have been part of the progressive family in Ekiti state since 1999 when we had AD, from AD to AC, to ACN and now, the APC. I have represented my constituency, Ekiti South Federal Constituency II at the national Assembly between 2011 to 2015.

“And I also ran for this office of the governor before in 2018 election. After the primary exercise, I joined hands with the party candidate, Dr. Fayemi Kayode where I was appointed as the Deputy Director General of his campaign. When an incident happened, I was asked to lead the campaign. So, I became the DG of the campaign.

“I actually led the campaign that brought Dr Kayode to office in 2918. I also had the rare privilege to be called upon by the governor to serve in his cabinet as commisioner for Infrastructure and Public Utilities.

“So, as part of the progressives family in Ekiti state, and now that we are having a new turn of events in Ekiti state as the time of Dr. Fayemi is coming to an end by October, there’s need for us to continue in that trajectory, the All Progressives governance in Ekiti state”.

Aside that, Faparusi, who is a strong advocate for the zoning of governorship seat to Ekiti South come 2022 said, he believes in the agitation for Ekiti South Senatorial District to produce the next governor in the state.

According to him this “agitation is not just coming from party members, it is coming from the populace and it is important for the party to listen to the masses who constitute over 70 or 80 per cent of voters in the general election.

“Because of this, I strongly believe that our party members would look the way of the South to pick their candidate for the next election, so that we can be in a good stead to win the election.

“I am one of the strongest figures in Ekiti South and I stand in support that Ekiti South is due to produce the next governor of the state. Other Senatorial District have been doing it since 1999, and it is not progressive.

“As a progressive party , we must imbibe justice, equity and fairness; that’s what makes us a truly progressives party. If we do not imbibe this virtues, then, we can not be called a progressive party. I want to strongly believe that our party is a progressive party that will consider candidates from the South.

“And when you look at the South, I am the bridge builder within the Ekiti state Senatorial District, even across the state than any other aspirant including party members.”