– says governor detests violence
Sola POPOOLA
Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC ) in Ekiti State , Bimbo Daramola (alias congressman) has cautioned members of the opposition political parties against associating violence with the Biodun Oyebanji’ administration.
Speaking with a cross section of journalists in Ado-Ekiti,Daramola said even though a governor or any leader can be criticized for decisions or policies ,but linking them to violence without facts can amount to misinformation or outright mischief.
Insulating his position, Daramola said aside the fact that governor Oyebanji’ did not have a history of violence or brigandage, he had demonstrated strong commitment to peace by uniting all stakeholders and political tendencies in the state ,since assumption of office .
The former member of the National Assembly who represented Ekiti North Federal Constituency One between 2011-2015 ,acknowledged that certain individuals may have issued some threats ahead of the party primaries,stressing that such did not represent the views or position of the governor.
He explained that governor Oyebanji’ had made his position clear that his government is averse to violence and brigandage !n many occasions
Daramola,the convener of The BAOWALK said it is high time the people and security agents hold those threatening violence accountable to their words and actions .
He said:
“Governor Oyebanji had spoken at different fora ,warning people agents resorting to violence for whatever reason .” I can cite many instances ,I knew about his peace appeal at the last Udiroko, APC stakeholders meeting held at Iyin -Ekiti .The governor specifically did a statewide broadcast warning people against violence . So why are the people not taking about that ?
“Can you put what we have today in Ekiti side by side with what we had before? Both members of the ruling party and opposition move freely without any harassment or molestation .On some isolated cases that the governor’s adversary referred to, I know about the Sola’s incidence and I watched and listened to that video. What Sola was doing was simply an expression that does not in any form or manner suggest that the Governor has sent him on an errand.
“Ask Sola or any person speaking the last time he or she saw the Governor. What is there to caution him? For expressing himself? Have you not heard all kind of despicable things they have said about the President?”
He also condemned critics who faulted the Governor for taking a large number of stakeholders to the APC Secretariat in Abuja during the submission his nomination form, saying the state’s helmsman is not a lone ranger but a sitting Governor loved by all.
“Oyebanji is not jittery about anybody, he’s not anxious about everybody. If in this context you’re talking about my friend and brother, Kayode Ojo, he knows himself. What has he told you he wants to do for Ekiti people?
“But I don’t want to talk too much about Kayode, because he’s my friend. I have tremendous respect for him, we have a charming relationship, so I’m not speaking like someone who doesn’t know him.
“The same way I accorded Governor Biodun Oyebanji respect when he was just an audience on the side, I will accord Kayode Ojo the same respect but I will speak to facts here.
He exuded confidence that the Governor has everything it takes to defeat other aspirants either the party decides to choose direct or indirect primary election.
“A man who has said bring the primary on is afraid? Who is afraid? No! Let me tell you in every society there is the capacity to decide varies. We are in a society that has different levels of understanding, people of different kinds. You cannot tell me that at this level that I am here and you will cut me a little bit of slack.
On BAO Walk, Daramola restated that the initiative, which has pulled over 30,000 residents across seven Local Government Areas in the state, is self-funded with no personal ambition other than to support the second term bid of Biodun Oyebanji.
“The fact that I don’t have an appointment, I know why. That doesn’t mean I don’t play in that pool. When I get into that pool, they know when to throw my name with all humility, when you throw my name into the highest pool in this country, a number of people will say, ‘We recognize this name, we know this name’ There’s no doubt about that and you expect me to be thinking like somebody who has never stepped out of Igirigiri”.
“Why are they buying Panadol for another person’s headache? If our work is called in, am I in the office? No. Am I in office? Have you seen me collect a contract? No, you’re not. The truth is this: whatever I do, are you honestly saying that I should explain how much I bought my shoe for?
“My interest is Oyebanji, I can give anything for love. Yes, I can give anything for love. People who know me know that that is one of my strongest points”.