Passage Of Direct Primary Bill Not Meant To Spite State Governors – Reps Member

By Ayodele Oni

A member of the House of Representatives in Ekiti state, Mr Femi Bamisile has clarified that the Green Chamber’s decision to pass the Electoral Amendment Bill, 2021 which recommended Direct Primary for political parties, was not meant to slight state Governors.

Bamisile, who spoke during an interview in Ado Ekiti,  pointed out that the lower Chamber of the National Assembly felt that the people should be allowed to pick their leaders and not just the handpicked delegates.

The Lawmaker stated that “I am not a Lawyer, but if you see the way the Speaker, House of Representative presented the issue of Direct Primary, you will all agree with me that, it is an avenue to give power back to the people.

“The National  Assembly is not in anyway at loggerheads with the Governors and I am  sure the Governors will have their reasons for not supporting direct Primaries.”

On high cost of governance and politics in the country, Mr Bamisile stated that some people have seen politics as profession and full time business, which should not be so.

“Politics should be on part time basis as against the current practice where some People see it as a full time job,” he added.

Mr Bamisile, who is representing Ekiti East,Gbonyin and Emure councils also spoke on his efforts to ensure his constituency benefits from the dividend of democracy.

“I made a lot of promises when I was contesting and part of those promises is that I will get employment for the Youths even when I didnt even know how I will go about it because where I was going is a place with legislative power to make law and not executive power.

“When I got there, I saw an avanlache of vaccum and therefore, I vowed to make at least 100 employments for the Youths.

“I want to make it clear to you all, that I just spent over two years and I have given 52 employment letters to the People, so it remanis 48 employment letters and out of the remaining 48 letters, I have again brought another 30 letters now, therefore, we  now have 82 federal appointment.

“Letters are still coming because I still have more than a year to spend at the National Assembly, so if we are to conduct examination on it, at least I would’ve scored above 80% in that category.

“On health, I have committed over N100million on 10 ambulances and other equipment that I have distributed for our primary health care system in the three Local government Areas, I represent at the National Assembly.

“Also in the last one year, I have brought Solar powered Street light worth over N650million to Ekiti State because of lack of electricity supply in some parts of my Constituency and I did not limit that to the three local government areas I represent alone, I also extended it to Ado Ekiti especially, GRA.

“And in the coming weeks, another solar powered street light worth about N820million will be brought to Ekiti State and it will be installed in many parts across the State including flashpoints especially in Ado Ekiti where Hoodlums hide to perpetrate their heinous acts.

“I am trying my best for Ekiti youths to get jobs in MDAs where they become Directors and permanent secretaries in years ahead.  It is unfortunate that, Ekiti only has a PS in the Federal  Civil Service that serves with Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, I don’t know what Ekiti State can benefit from such Ministry.”

On the forthcoming Governorship election in the state, the Lawmaker stated that “election is coming in June, so, the Stage is set and what we are looking at now is getting into the Primaries in January.

“That affords the two major political parties in the State to get ready and whoever or those aspiring should by now be on the Field, consulting or be done with consultations.”