BY Gbenga Ariyibi

The political climate of the ancient town of Iyin Ekiti, in Irepodun-Ifelodun Local Government area took a new shape weekend, as a group of elders operating under the umbrella of Concerned Iyin Ekiti Elders yesterday said the whole community was solidly behind their son, Opeyemi Bamidele, who is flying the Labour Party ticket.

Some leaders of the APC who are indigenes of the town had about a week ago castigated Bamidele for supposedly not contributing anything significant to the development of the town

Reacting to the claim in Iyin Ekiti during a session with newsmen yesterday, spokesperson of the group, Chief David Ogundare said contrary to the insinuations, that Bamidele has contributed immensely to the socio-economic and political development of Iyin Ekiti more than any living human being.

The group listed some of the projects assisted by the LP candidate in the town to include the multi-million naira Oba’s palace, provision of hand pump boreholes in the town, construction of school building, health centre, ICT and vocational training centre at Ibedoyin ,modern library in the town and a host of others.

Before he became a House of Representatives member, he had been giving foodstuffs, branded and unbranded clothing, cows and money to the various quarters in Iyin during annual Iyin Day and other festivities.

“In 2009, when he was the chairman of Iyin Day ceremony, he mustered about N5.4 million for his community. Ever since, he has been donating one million naira per year to the community and another one million naira to the four quarters at N250,000 per quarter.