BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, POLITICAL EDITOR

Though the mass of enthusiastic people were gathered in a playground, they were, however, in no mood for play.

Not even the delayed takeoff of the scheduled rally could dampen the enthusiasm of the crowd that massed last Tuesday at the Ajitadidun Play Ground, Ado-Ekiti for the formal take off of the campaign of the Labour Party’s candidate, Opeyemi Bamidele.

Among those that gathered for the rally were the national chairman of the party, Chief Dan Nwanyanwu, the party’s only governor, Governor Segun Mimiko of Ondo State, federal and state legislators belonging to the party and mostly from Ondo State, some former aides of Governor Kayode Fayemi who are now backing Bamidele, wife of a one time governor of the old Ondo State, Mrs. Oluwaynmika Olumilua among many others.

Labour party gubernatorial candidate, Opeyemi Bamidele, Ondo State Governor, Olusegun Mimiko, Labour Party Chairman, Dan Nwanyanwu & Mr Yinka Odumakin during the flag-off campaign in Ado-Ekiti

Before the commencement of the rally, the dignitaries visited the traditional ruler of Ado-Ekiti, the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Adejugbe where the candidate said that he would use lessons learnt from his humble bringing to guide him if successful in the forthcoming gubernatorial election.

Princes and princesses
“I thank God that I have a humble beginning. God has raised me to sit among princess and princesses and I know how to handle issues to make life more abundant for the masses,” he said. Noting what he described as the infrastructure deficits in the state, he said:

“The state lacks potable water; there is nowhere in the state where people have 24 hours of access to water. Our state is agrarian and we will mechanise agriculture and re-position education in our state,” Bamidele promised.
At the rally itself, it was another opportunity for the LP candidate to elucidate on his plans and purposes as concerning the election.

Against the background of insinuations mostly from his former colleagues in the All Progressives Congress, APC that he, Bamidele is a young man desperate for power, he used the opportunity to clarify on his purpose. He said that he is not desperate to be governor of the state even as he chided the present leadership of the state for lacking what he described as capacity to guide the state in the right direction.

Among his promises to the people that Tuesday was the promise to revive the Oodua Textile Industry, a company he claimed that if revived would provide employment for thousands of citizens.

Given the difficult relationship Governor Fayemi has had with teachers in the state, many of whom have been rubbed negatively by capacity building initiatives of the administration, it was not surprising that the Labour Party flag bearer decided to hit on the issue.

To the teachers, Bamidele said that he was coming to government to soothe their worries saying that he would “bring to an end the sufferings of the teachers in Ekiti,” and to cap it, he said he would ensure that they get overseas training as part of their capacity building programmes.

In his own speech at the rally, Nwanyanwu, said Bamidele took the best decision to break from the APC and join the Labour Party, adding that in Labour, Bamidele would not be subjected to the whims and caprices of a political godfather. He added that Ekiti would enjoy the kind of leadership and progress he claimed was now evident in Ondo State.

Besides, the Labour Party chairman said that a Labour Party in government in Ekiti would bring the sufferings of the people to the minimum even as he charged voters to clear themselves of all delusions.

“Shine your eyes because those who claimed to be progressives are not progressives in all their dealings with the people democratically,” Nwanyanwu said. Dr. Mimiko praised Bamidele as a man with character and integrity even as he urged the people to vote for him as he promised that he would run a government of inclusiveness in the state.

Addressing the crowd that Tuesday, Bamidele said: “I, Hon. Michael Opeyemi Bamidele ,fondly referred to, by Ekiti people as MOB,I stand before you today under the throne of grace of God Almighty to say to everyone of you that I offer myself to serve .I want to provide an unusual leadership in Ekiti .I want to be a governor that will not be a usual governor .I want to be that governor that is not a typical governor .”

In a promise that looked like taking Ekiti to El dorado, he said:
“All the rocks in Ekiti State without a single quarry business will become a thing of the past if given the mandate. In our government, Ekiti will become a major supplier of granites to the construction companies in Nigeria.”

Pro-democracy activist, Yinka Odumakin also speaking at the rally said he was familiar with all three major contenders but that for Bamidele his judgment was that he is dependable ally that has been well brought up.