ACN reps caucus removes Bamidele as leader

For insisting on contesting the 2014 governorship election in Ekiti State, members of the Ekiti State Caucus of the House of Representatives on Tuesday announced the removal of Mr. Opeyemi Bamidele as its leader.

The all Action Congress of Nigeria-member caucus alleged that Bamidele’s ambition was in conflict with the interest of the party and the decision of the people of Ekiti to back the incumbent Governor, Mr. Kayode Fayemi, to contest the election as the ACN’s candidate.

Opeyemi, a former information commissioner in Lagos State, is the Chairman, House Committee on Legislative Budget.

The caucus named Mr. Robinson Ajiboye, who represents Ido Federal Constituency, as his replacement.

But Bamidele dismissed the group, saying it was beyond the power of the caucus to remove him as the leader.

He explained that the power rested in the hands of the national leadership of the ACN and the people of the state to decide who would be the caucus leader.

Ekiti has six members in the House of Representatives.

Five of the lawmakers attended a news conference at the National Assembly in Abuja, where the caucus announced the removal of Bamidele.

They included Ajiboye; Ojo Oladimeji (Ijero/Ekiti-West/Efon); Abimbola Daramola (Ikole/Oye); Faparusi Bamidele (Emure/Gbonyin/Ekiti-East); and Ifeoluwa Arowosoge (Ado-Ekiti/Irepodin/Ifelodin).

Ajiboye, who read the text of the group’s decision, said the ACN and the people of Ektit State had already resolved that Fayemi had performed well in office and should continue till 2018.

However, he said  Bamidele seemed to hold a contrary view, based on “personal grievances with our governor.”

Meanwhile, the Action Congress of Nigeria in Ekiti State may have begun mapping out fresh strategies for the 2014 governorship election, following the possibility of Bamidele leaving the party.

A source close to the party told journalists in Ado Ekiti on Tuesday that the party met on Sunday, a day after Bamidele announced publicly his intention to contest against Fayemi, despite  the advice given by the National Leader of ACN, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, that he should shelve his governorship ambition  for now.

The source said leaders of the ACN were surprised at the public declaration of Bamidele, who insisted that he would contest and not regret his action.