The deputy director general of Akpabio/Barau campagin for senate president in the 10th national assembly, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, has revealed the reason why the senators in camp of eventual winner of the race, Godswill Akpabio, arrived the national assembly complex at about 4 am to cast their votes on Tuesday, June 13.
Bamidele, while making this known after the inauguration of the 10th national assembly, said that the move was to avert what happened during the election in 2015.
Recall that in 2015, senators-elect loyal to former senate president, Bukola Saraki, kept vigil in the national assembly complex to install the former governor of Kwara state as senate president, while other senators-elect were at the International Conference Center in Abuja to meet with former president Muhammadu Buhari at the time of inauguration of the 8th national assembly.
However, Bamidele, who represents Ekiti Central senatorial district, while speaking on Tuesday afternoon, said that he has not been able to sleep in the last 48 hours in order to ensure the victory of Akpabio as the senate president.
The senator noted that, “I have not been able to sleep for the last 48 hours in order to ensure that Godswill Akpabio emerge as senate president.
“We entered the national assembly complex around 4 am in order to avert what happened in 2015.
“The victory wouldn’t have been possible if not for the efforts of the immediate-past senate president, Ahmad Lawan,” he added.
Meanwhile, Lawan, while speaking at the reception, described Bamidele as the pillar of the 9th senate, applauding him for his contributions to nation building in the ninth senate.
Lawan stated that, “From day one, he has been a pillar of my senate presidency.
“We had some few cases that I asked him to handle and he performed excellently.
“We have become a family as we continue another four years in the senate and beyond,” he added.
Other prominent personalities who attended the event were Ajero of Ijero-Ekiti, Adebayo Adewole, Oluyin of Iyin Ekiti, Ajakaye, among others.
