By Solomon Geshere
The governorship candidate of the Labour Party in the June, 2014 gubernatorial election in Ekiti State and member of the House of Representatives, Opeyemi Bamidele has been admitted back to the All Progressives Congress, signalling the collapse of the party in Ekiti State.
This was announced by the national leadership of APC at the campaign rally of the party in Ado yesterday, where Bamidele promised to work for General Muhammadu Buhari victory on February 14, 2015.
This has lay to rest reports and counter-reports of negotiations between Bamidele and leaders of the party over Bamidele’s imminent return to the folds through whom he has come far in politics.
Meanwhile, his decampment to APC has claimed its first casualty as the publicity secretary LP who also doubled as Bamidele’s spokesperson in the run-up to the June 2014 election, Mrs. Bolanle Olatunde-Bruce, has resigned from the party to team up with the Peoples Democratic Party for the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan.
Olatunde-Bruce, in a short release which was copied to Bamidele, the Ekiti State Chairman of LP, Barr. Akin Omole, and the State Secretary, Hon. Abiola Olowookere, thanked the leadership of the party for their support in the last 13 months and wished Bamidele well in his endeavour.
“With the admission into the APC today, of Hon. Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, the erstwhile gubernatorial candidate of the Labour Party in Ekiti State, I hereby officially withdraw my membership of the Labour Party and equally resign as the State Publicity Secretary.
“My movement from the PDP to the LP some thirteen months ago was precipitated on my firm belief in the then gubernatorial aspirations of Hon. Bamidele and having concluded that assignment and with today’s announcement of his membership of the APC by MOB, I dare say that my job is done and I have no regrets whatsoever.
“It is with great joy and gladness that I hereby return to the PDP to enable me join hands with other patriotic Nigerians towards the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan on February 14, 2015.
“May I use this opportunity to thank the entire leadership and members of the Labour Party at both the national and state levels for their support and encouragement these past thirteen months.
“I also use this medium to wish Hon. Michael Opeyemi Bamidele the very best in his future endeavors,” Olatunde Bruce wrote.