Senate leader refutes claims of working against regional governance

The Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, has refuted claims that he is acting against the interests of the Yoruba in the National Assembly.

Bamidele described these allegations as “baseless, false, and unfounded,” stating that since his election to the National Assembly, he has consistently served the interests of Ekiti Central, Ekiti State, the South-West, and Nigeria as a whole.

In a statement released by his Directorate of Media and Public Affairs on Wednesday, Bamidele challenged anyone with audio-visual or documentary evidence to present it.
Certain media outlets had falsely attributed a statement to the Senate Leader, claiming he said, “If we allow the regional system in Nigeria, we would have automatically given the easterners Biafra.”

Denying the statement on Wednesday, Bamidele asserted that he never made such remarks, which he believes were intended to create conflict between him and the Yoruba, as well as other ethnic groups in Nigeria.

He further clarified that he did not discuss the regional government system, as outlined in the 1960 and 1963 Constitutions, during the Senate Retreat on the Review of the 1999 Constitution held on 27th-28th September 2024.

“The claim is completely untrue. I never made any comments about a return to regional government, nor did I state that ‘If we allow the regional system in Nigeria, we would have automatically given the easterners Biafra,’”

Bamidele said. “It is a clear case of misinformation and deliberate fake news that does not reflect my views on federal governance.”

Bamidele also warned that he would not hesitate to take legal action against anyone or any organisation fabricating and spreading false information about him and his office.

He stated that, as of now, there is no proposal before the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution concerning the return to a regional government system.

“How can I oppose a proposal that is not before the Constitution Review Committee?” he asked, suggesting that the claims were politically motivated attempts to discredit him.

“The 10th Senate Constitution Review Committee has received 37 fresh constitution amendment bills and is also considering 16 bills inherited from the 9th National Assembly, making a total of 53 bills. None of these bills propose a return to the regional federal governance system as practised in the First Republic. Linking me to an anti-regional government stance is a deliberate attempt to tarnish my image. I am not working against Yoruba interests and would never do so for any reason,” he concluded.