Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele Emerges APC Senatorial Candidate for Ekiti Central
Ahead of the 2027 general elections, the Senate Leader, Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, has officially emerged as the senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Ekiti Central Senatorial District.
Bamidele’s emergence followed the release of the list of screened senatorial aspirants by the APC National Organising Secretary, Alhaji Sulaiman Arugungu, on Sunday night. According to the list, the Senate Leader secured the ticket unopposed, further consolidating his strong political influence within Ekiti State and the APC structure.
The development is widely seen as a reaffirmation of confidence in Bamidele’s leadership and legislative performance at the National Assembly. Political observers note that his unopposed emergence reflects the overwhelming backing he enjoys among party stakeholders, grassroots mobilisers, and constituents across Ekiti Central.
Bamidele, who currently represents Ekiti Central Senatorial District in the Senate, has remained one of the most prominent political figures from Ekiti State. Over the years, he has built a reputation as a strategic lawmaker and influential voice within the APC-led federal government. Before becoming Senate Leader, he served in several key positions, including Chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters.
This latest nomination marks the third consecutive time Bamidele will carry the APC flag for the Ekiti Central Senate seat. He first clinched the ticket in 2019 after a keenly contested primary election and later secured reelection in 2023 with a commanding victory at the polls. In the 2023 election, he polled 69,351 votes to defeat his closest rival from the PDP, becoming the first senator from Ekiti Central to secure reelection since Nigeria’s return to democratic rule in 1999.
Political stakeholders in Ekiti had earlier endorsed Bamidele as a consensus candidate weeks before the official confirmation. APC leaders in Ado Local Government Area described him as a stabilising force within the party and praised his contributions to constituency projects, legislative representation, and party unity.
Other aspirants cleared by the APC in Ekiti include Adeyemi Adaramodu, former Senate Minority Leader Biodun Olujimi, and Bamidele Faparusi for Ekiti South, while Senator Cyril Fasuyi, Senator Ayo Arise, Oladipupo Bamisaye, and Oluwadare Owolabi were cleared for Ekiti North.
Speaking recently on the APC’s internal process, Bamidele maintained that despite consensus endorsements, all aspirants would still participate in the party’s democratic procedures and primaries, stressing the importance of unity and internal cohesion within the APC in Ekiti State.
The emergence of Bamidele is expected to significantly shape political calculations ahead of the 2027 elections in Ekiti State, particularly within Ekiti Central, where the APC continues to maintain strong grassroots support. Analysts believe his experience, national visibility, and close ties with party leadership at the federal level could further strengthen the APC’s chances in the district.
As political activities gradually intensify nationwide, attention is now shifting to how opposition parties, particularly the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), will respond to the APC’s growing consolidation in Ekiti Central.
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