Background
Michael Opeyemi Bamidele was born 29th July 1963. Bamidele graduated in 1986, from the University of Ife (Obafemi Awolowo University),
Ile-Ife, with a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Religious Studies. He then enrolled at the prestigious University of Benin, where he
graduated with a Bachelor of Law (LL.B) Degree in 1990. As a university student, Opeyemi Bamidele was the Public Relations Officer of the
Students' Union Government at the University of Ife and also as the Chairman of the University of Benin Students' Union. As a peak to his
activities as a student activist was his election as the National President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) in 1989.
At the completion of a one-year academic stint at the Nigerian Law School,
Victoria Island, having being called to the Nigerian Bar, Bamidele launched himself into a full- time legal career, specializing in Human
Rights Law and International Jurisprudence. While in the United States of America, Bamidele pursued a Master of Laws (LL.M) degree programme
at the World-renowned Franklin Pierce Law Centre in Concord, New Hampshire, USA and by the end of 1996, he had already become a legal expert
on Intellectual Property, with bias in International Patent, Trademark and Copyright Law including the Licensing of International Technology
Transfer. He is a legal professional, he has three professional licenses to practice in the Federal Republic of Nigeria as a Barrister and
Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. He is also an Attorney and Counsellor-at-Law of the State of New York, USA and a Notary Public of
the State of New Hampshire, United States of America. Bamidele is also a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitration, Nigeria.
Past Records
In 1992, Bamidle contested in the primary elections to the Federal House of Representatives seat for Oshodi/Isolo Federal Constituency in Lagos, which he gallantly
lost by a single vote. Undeterred by this development, he remained active and loyal to the Social Democratic Party (SDP). In March 1993,
Bamidele served as National Accreditation Officer at the SDP National Convention in Jos Plateau State, Nigeria, where Bashorun M. K. O. Abiola
was unanimously elected as the party's Presidential candidate.
Bamidele was appointed in July 2000, as the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor of Lagos State on Political and Intergovernmental
Relations. He also doubled in this capacity as the National Director of Publicity of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) between November 2000
and June 2003. In February 2003, Bamidele was appointed into the Lagos State Executive Council as the Special Adviser on Political Matters
to the then Lagos State Deputy Governor, His Excellency, Mr. Olufemi Pedro. The former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu
appointed Opeyemi Bamidele as the Honourable Commissioner for Youth, Sports & Social Development in July, 2003.
As the Youth and Sports Commissioner
of the state, he initiated :
- Establishment of Youth Recreation Centres in several Local Governments and Local Council Development Areas of Lagos State.
- Rehabilitation of Skill Acquisition Centres for destitutes and drug addicts in Tekunle Island, Lagos State.
- Resuscitation of grassroot sports like Principals' Cup, Primary School Games.
- Establishment of Coaching Clinics and Seminars for the development of coaches, games masters.
- Resuscitation of Lagos State Sports Festival, among others
He was appointed Commissioner for Information & Strategy by the administration of Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) in June 2007.
29th May 2011, Bamidele emerged the winner of the National Assembly Elections to represent Ado Ekiti/Irepodun-Ifelodun Federal Constituency
from Ekiti Stateon the platform of the then Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). He is serving on a number of committees in the House of
Assembly. They are listed below
- Legislative Budget and Research (Chairman)
- Appropriations (Member)
- Housing and Habitat (Member)
- Human Rights (Member)
- Judiciary (Member)
- Media/Public Affairs (Member)
- States & Local Government Affairs (Member)
December 2013 Bamidele left the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Labour Party (LP) citing the presence of "pseudo-democrats who are allergic
to internal democracy" as the reason for his change of political affiliations. He emerged in the uncontested governorship primaries of the
Ekiti LP in preparation for the election set for June 21, 2014 in the state.
References
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