Opeyemi Bamidele, the leader of the Senate in Nigeria, has refuted charges that he is participating in activities that are detrimental to the interests of the Yoruba people.
He stated that the reports that were published in the media that suggested his legislative efforts in the National Assembly undermined Yoruba interests were both baseless and without merit.
During his speech, Bamidele emphasised that ever since he was elected to the National Assembly, he has genuinely represented the interests of Ekiti Central, Ekiti State, the South-West, and Nigeria as a whole.
The lawmaker issued a statement in which he issued a challenge to anyone who brings allegations against him, urging them to provide audio or video evidence to back up their claims.
He bemoaned the fact that certain media outlets had attributed a statement to him, stating that he had said, “If we allow the regional system in Nigeria, we would have automatically given the easterners Biafra.” He further stated that this was an inappropriate practice.
He denied that he had ever made such a statement, claiming that the false allegation was an attempt to pit him against the Yoruba and other ethnic nationalities that were present in the federation.
During the Senate Retreat on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, which took place on September 27th and 28th, 2024, the member stated that he never once discussed regional government in accordance with the Constitutions of 1960 through 1963.
The assertion is not even close to being accurate. I never once mentioned the return to the regional administration in any of the forums that I participated in, nor did I ever assert that “If we allowed 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, which in no way represent my worldview about the structure of the federal government.”
Bamidele, on the other hand, issued a warning that he would not be afraid to take legal action against any individual or business that was inventing and spreading fake news about his person and office. He also insisted that there was no plan for a regional government.