I Was Without A Political Party For Two Months Before Joining The Labour Party- Opeyemi Bamidele

Former Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) lawmaker,Opeyemi Bamidele

A carrying-card party member of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and lawmaker represent Ado-Ekiti/Irepodun-Ifelodun Federal Constituency at the Lower chamber of the National Assembly, Hon Michael Opeyemi Bamidele (MOB) has denied defecting from any political party ahead of the 2014 governorship election in Ekiti State.

Bamidele, who spoke shortly to journalists at the end public lecture organised by Members of the Ondo State council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) as part of activities of the 2013 Press Week of the union with the theme ’2015: Imperative of Constitutional Review' disclosed that his defection to the little known Labour was misconstrued.

"I did not defect from any political party

to the Labour Party as being spread across. Before the merger, I was a member of the ACN, a very loyal and committed member and a National Director for three years, but along the line,  the leadership of the defunct ACN went into talks with other parties and they discontinued  the ACN and that marks the end of the party".

The lawmaker who was elected in 2011 under the platform of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) was responding to a question on the constitutionality of his movement to the Labour Party having being elected on the platform of the defunct ACN

"For two months and thereabouts in this country, I was a partyless politician. But at the end of the day. I became part of a coalition of well meaning Ekiti sons and daughters who felt that things will not continue like they were in Ekiti".

He explained that since the certificate of the party under which he was elected had been revoked, it meant he had no political party and was never in the party for two over two months before joining the LP.

“The issue is clear. The certificate of registration of the ACN was revoked, and the party along with others formed All Progressives Congress (APC) while ACN cease to exist", he said

Bamidele posited further that a comprehensive  consultation was done in the state and beyond before creating his 'Ekiti Bibire Coalition'

"We felt there is a need to drive home our commitment and struggle for internal democracy within all our parties and we came to the fore and irrevocable conclusion that we must consult widely from the founding fathers of the state, community leaders of the state including artisans, market women and men for us to be able to discuss and brought to a conclusion".

He said Ekiti people wanted him to form a political party, but after several consulted they took a bold decision to join the progressive Labour Party.