TINUBU CALLS FOR REVERSAL OF BAMIDELE’S OUSTER AS HOUSE LEADER OF EKITI CAUCUS

Former Lagos State Governor and National Leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Senator Bola Tinubu, has declared that the decision of the members of the Ekiti House caucus of Representatives to suspend Hon. Opeyemi Bamidele as their leader is capable of “truncating ongoing efforts at reconciliation.”

Tinubu, in a statement signed by him, however said since he had not received any official report from the party, he would consider it a rumour.

“I have not seen an official word through the party machinery about this action. However, I feel compelled to speak to dispel rumour and false report from assuming the aspect of fact,” Tinubu stated.

Opeyemi, who was the Commissioner for Information during Tinubu’s regime  as governor in Lagos State has been at loggerheads  with the Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, over his (Opeyemi’s) alleged declaration to contest the governorship election next year, contrary to the advice of the party leadership.

But to Tinubu, even if Bamidele’s position may not be popular among his colleagues, he retains the right to believe as he does.

“We must protect and smother unpopular and minority positions. If we don’t like it, we vote against it at the appropriate time but we do not punish people simply for thinking differently, this is how we must grow our democracy,” he said.

He stated that: “The news of the purported removal of Bamidele came as a surprise. The decision of the members of the state House caucus in this regard truncates ongoing efforts at reconciliation. Notwithstanding the fact that the party leadership is working hard to reconcile all sides. What took some members of the leadership of the party to Ekiti State recently was a continuation of the process of
appeal and reconciliation.

“The objective here is to first understand and iron out the issues that have resorted in a gulf between Bamidele and Fayemi on one hand and the party towards building a formidable political house in Ekiti State.

“From my vantage point, I don’t believe the members of the Ekiti caucus could possibly take such step for such a scant reason. I trust their democratic pedigree to highly believe that they would not be used to take this false step which would violate established party rules, processes and traditions.”

He said decisions of such sensitive nature must be done with the consultation of the national leadership of the party, stressing that: “Our National Chairman and the party’s leadership were never consulted or notified about the pendency of such a stark action.”

He therefore advised that those who muted the idea should retrace their steps to avoid creating an unnecessary difficulty for themselves and the Ekiti State chapter of the party.

“Beyond the issue of procedure and rules, there is the tiny matter of internal party democracy to consider. I have said it before, any party member has a right to contest the governorship of Ekiti or any other state. Any other person, including Bamidele, has the right to contest.

“This right is so fundamental to internal democracy that I do not believe he should be sanctioned at this point where the most he has done is make unofficial statements about contesting. Our party cannot join the club of other parties that punish members for expressing interests in an office,” Tinubu stressed.

The party leader therefore  impressed it on the five lawmakers to reverse the decision: “I urge our five lawmakers; Robison Ajiboye, Bamidele Faparusi, Bimbo Daramola, Dr. Ifeoluwa Arowosoge, and Oyetunde Ojo, to reverse themselves and embrace the process of amicable resolution already put in place by the party.”
While hinting that the ongoing reconciliatory effort is yielding positive results, the party leader who is one of the arrowheads of the ongoing merger of opposition political parties in Nigeria also noted that disturbing the peace process would “give comfort to those who would seek to divide the Ekiti State chapter of the ACN.

Source: Thisday