By Gbenga Ariyibi
EKITI—As the race to fill the vacant seat of Ekiti North Senatorial  District in the Senate draws nearer, the former Senator holding the post, Chief Ayo Arise has boasted that the Action Congress (AC)’s candidate in the election, Mr Olubunmi Adetunmbi would be roundly defeated, saying he would be returned as the Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to represent his people in the upper chambers.

Arise  who was  speaking with the newsmen in Ado Ekiti yesterday on the level of his preparedness for Saturday’s election said his   achievements while in the senate would encourage people to vote for him.

The former senator said as a very active member of the bankers committee  that he was able to influenced the approval of the establishment of a branch of Central Bank in the state, saying the construction of the   currency centre of the bank was in progress.

The Oye Ekiti born politician equally claimed to have prepared and read    some important bills, which included the Electronic Fraud Bill 2008  and the Credit Bureau Bill which would  enables people to start businesses without  traditional demand of  physical asset of security.

On the alleged role played by him during the last governorship re-run in the state, Arise said he dis not do anything extra-ordinary than to ensuring that the candidate of his party during the re-run election, Engr Segun Oni won,  stating that the allegation that he was nursing criminals and political thugs was not true

‘’Honestly, people say character is like a smoke that there is no way one can  hide it , to those people that knows me, l am not known to be  to associate with any act of illegality, no doubt, the situation was tense then, but the leadership of the  Action Congress   thought l was becoming a stumbling block to realise their ambition

The  politician however  called on all his supporters not to be intimidated and come out  to vote in his favour come next Saturday

He , however denounced the current kidnapping of innocent people in the state by some hoodlums ,saying it was a new trend  that must not be encourage in the state

According to him: ‘’If these kidnappers are asking for N3omillion as ransom  before they could release their captors,  it means you want to kill the people that were kidnapped , how many families could raise as much as N10 million in the whole of this state.”