Former House of Representatives member and governorship aspirant in Ekiti State Hon. Bimbo Daramola has called for unity and cohesion among the aspirants on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He advised the aspirants to shun campaigns of calumny and character assassination, warning aginst a commitment to personal ambition at the expense of the party.
Daramola said in an interview in Lagos that the Ekiti APC must wax stronger to confront the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the poll.
He also stated that only a candidate with a robust history of dignified service to the platform during difficult times in the past should earn its governorship ticket.
The aspirant said the people should be made to perceive the APC as a credible alternative to the PDP, adding that the opposition party should maintain its popularity at the grassroots.
Daramola said: “We need to be clear about what is the political philosophy of our party. Who are the people who can connect with the philosophy of our party? Many don’t realize that one of the things our party stands for is to be able to impact on the lives of the people, not by tokenism, but in tangible terms. For instance, that he is tarring the roads outside, not the stomach. I am not saying that people should not take momentary succour and support from government.
“But, what distinguishes our party from others is how much of impact we have made in education, in health, infrastructural development, sports and other areas. We must identify the fact that we are not seeking power for the sake of getting power alone. We should look at who did what and how.
Daramola said Ekiti APC should work hard for power shift, warning that the election may not be easy.
He urged party chieftains to brace up for a campaign of calumny by PDP stalwarts, who may direct people’s attention to the slow pace of national economic recovery, thereby wipping sentiments agsint the APC.
“Adversity has the potential to unite. We are at the valley of adversity at this time for us to climb up the mountain of prosperity. So, what will I be using to campaign to the people? Look at my years in the House of Representatives. That was four years of humble service. From my pocket, I built a 32-bed hospital, American standard, and I handed it over to Ekiti Sate Management Board. I want them to know that people we provided work for, the motions that we moved. I was in touch with the people. The same Bimbo who was in the struggle from 2006, through through 2011, to 2005 that we left power, is the same Bimbo that is coming out now, even more determined to defend the value and integrity of the Ekiti people.
“We will also point out to the people the 16 years of wastage under the PDP. Look at the revelations today about corruption. The government is fighting corruption. We can talk about anti-corruption. We can talk about focus. I plead with delegates and leaders should forensically look at the aspirants, what we have represented in the past, what we represent now and what we can represent in the future. If we do that, the ticket will be handed to a steady person, who has the capacity to chart a good course and he will led the party to victory.”
The Nation