In January this year when Labour Party posters of Opeyemi Bamidele flooded Ado-Ekiti, he denied vehemently, pointing accusing fingers at elements in Fayemi government as the mastermind of the posters. Not a few believed him then. There were those who swore that Bamidele would never defect from ACN and subsequently the APC.
The Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) states that the more members feel connected to their leaders, the better the system works. They feel better about their leaders when they see them as honest, ethical, consistent and fair. But if members and leaders don’t have mutual trust, they (members) will definitely be turned off. There are instances when leaders, especially in politics, has had lie to protect a larger interest, say, for instance national security. In this situation, it is not to protect their interest. However, if their lie is to protect their own interests, an average voter who doesn’t benefit from such lie feels betrayed.
In the case of Opeyemi Bamidele, how did his denial that he knew nothing about the Labour Party posters benefit an average voter in Ekiti? None! Why then this lie? Isn’t Bamidele already showing a leadership pattern just like his new ally, Governor Segun Mimiko, under whom thousands of local government workers who he romanced into voting for him has been sacked?
I personally believe that Opeyemi Bamidele has every right to contest in whatever political party he chooses, but I also believe he should be courageous enough to admit whatever he does.
Two things caught my attention in the text of his press conference in Emure-Ekiti on Sunday.
He said: “Our mission in Emure Ekiti today is to mourn the death of late Foluso Ogundare…” How could you mourn and at the same be doing politics with the death of the same fellow, in spite of the Elemure-in-Council’s ban on political activities? Someone who really and truly wanted to mourn would have gone to Emure to sympathise with the family of the dead and the people of the town, but Bamidele chose the town to hold a press conference announcing his defection to Labour Party, even when the family of Foluso Ogundare must clearly still be mourning, even when Foluso Ogundare is yet to be buried. Why should Opeyemi Bamidele insult and assault the sensibilities of the grieving family and the people of Emure in this way? Even among thieves, honour still exists.
This attitude of Bamidele is fast becoming habitual. It brought to mind now the incident in Igede-Ekiti when the late Deputy Governor, Adunni Olayinka, was still being mourned and yet to buried and Bamidele was more concerned about politics at this time, negotiating an office space for campaign. Adunni Olayinka may have been Kayode Fayemi’s deputy, but having come from Ado-Ekiti, she was one of those who voted Bamidele and one of those whose mandate he holds at the House of Representatives. Shouldn’t Bamidele have honoured Adunni Olayinka by at least putting politics on hold until she was buried? Like the common saying, he probably concluded that a friend of his enemy is his enemy, so dead or alive, Adunni Olayinka probably remained his enemy. ‘Eni aa mori i ba ku…’ (What does it matter if someone we don’t know dies…)
It is in respect of the dead and the grieving people of Emure-Ekiti that the Fayemi administration postponed the budget tour to that local government, but Opeyemi Bamidele has done again what he did when Adunni Olayinka died – politics must continue irrespective of whatever happens!
Politics, if really it is about service, shouldn’t see death as a means to an end.
Another thing that I found troubling about Bamidele’s Emure-Ekiti defection text is the claim that Labour Party is “the party of the workers, the artisans…”
One must ask Bamidele how this Labour Party is being friendly with workers in Ondo State. The primary school teachers who are reportedly being owed months of salaries in Ondo State must sure see LP as “workers’ party”. Or the almost 12, 000 sacked local government workers in Ondo State – workers who were employed during Mimiko’s first term in office, but who he has claimed not to know anything about. My question is, who had been paying these workers’ salaries since 2009 or 2010? Didn’t their salaries reflect on Ondo State’s wage bill? Why then did Mimiko romance them into voting him and later sack them in the most heartless manner?
Do these sacked workers see Labour Party as the party of workers?
In all, one can only wish Opeyemi Bamidele well as he pursues his gubernatorial ambition (as he is still an Ekiti man – one of us), but one must also caution that Ekitis will rise up against politics of violence and that he should do all within the confines of the law, not causing, instigating or fomenting trouble. Only this way can we have an interesting and peaceful governorship election next year.
‘Dimeji Daniels writes from Ado in Ekiti State
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