Discordant Tunes In Ondo Over Planned Return Of Ex Gov Mimiko To PDP

By Ayodele Oni

The reactions have been sharp, laced with anger, as news filtered that former Governor of Ondo state, Dr Olusegun Mimiko plans to lead some of his former Aides back to the People’s Democratic Party, (PDP).

Since Monday morning when the social media flashed the report, there have been mixed responses, especially from notable members of the party in the state.

One of the PDP Chieftains, Mr Bode Obanla, in his reaction traced the genesis of the former Governor’s foray into the politics of Ondo state.

Obanla concluded that Dr Mimiko’s membership of the PDP in the past has been a disaster to the party and vowed to challenge his present return in court.

“In the last few days, the only talking point of Ondo State politics has been the rumoured return of Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, former Governor of Ondo State  to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), a party founded by him, and  in which he is national leader.

“Ordinarily, it would have been a thing of joy for a person of Mimiko’s experience and pedigree to join the PDP, but considering his antecedents in the party, l wait for him to officially join the party before l take the necessary legal actions to protect our great party from suffering harm from him, like in the past.

“It is also a measure to strengthen our democracy in the face of nomadic politicians, whose conscience is so fluid that, they can be found in a political party in the morning and change to another by the evening of the same day.

“Interestingly, the 2017 PDP Constitution (as Amended) envisaged situations of this nature and had made adequate provisions. In chapter 2, section 8 subsection 17, the Constitution states expressly that  “A person who has earlier decamped from the Party, but later decides to return to the Party shall lose the seniority and privileges conferred on him by his previous status”.

“This is the part of our Constitution l intend to give effect to through a competent Court of jurisdiction.

“Perhaps, it might be necessary to briefly x-ray the activities of Dr. Olusegun Mimiko and how it had affected the PDP that has necessitated my actions as a loyal PDP member.

“In 2003, shortly before the Governorship Elections, Mimiko joined the PDP. His first request was the Deputy Governorship slot which had been ceeded to Otunba Omolade Oluwateru.

“As compensation, Dr. Olusegun Agagu announced Mimiko’s appointment as Secretary to Government, from the Akure Sports Complex inauguration ground on May 29, 2003.

“Thus becoming the first political appointee of a party he just joined after abandoning the Alliance for Democracy (AD) Government of Chief Adebayo Adefarati.

“When Chief (Mrs) Mobolaji Osomo, was dropped as a Federal Minister, Dr. Mimiko replaced her in 2005 as Minister of Housing.

“The magnanimity of the PDP did not discourage him from quitting the party. He floated the Labour Party (LP) in 2007 under which platform he dealt the most devastating blow on the PDP.

“The Court of Appeal, sitting in Benin gave victory to Mimiko and the LP at the Governorship Elections ending the six years reign of Dr. Agagu as Governor.

“The truth is that, the PDP has never been the same  in Ondo State since 2009 when he, Mimiko, became Governor.

“Before the end of his eight year tenure as Governor, Mimiko manipulated himself back to the PDP in 2014. This was when he went for the final kill of the party.

“As sitting Governor, he caused the entire PDP structures from Ward to the State to be dissolved and installed his loyalists as party executives.

“While, he literally hijacked the party structures, he never allowed any PDP member to be part of the State government as against what was agreed as part of the merger.

“The 2015 general elections where he promised to deliver 2 million votes for former President Goodluck Jonathan, became a calamity as the PDP lost miserably in Ondo State.

Many major stakeholders who were frustrated with his antics left the party for him.

“This was the situation before the 2016 Governorship Elections. We did not need a soothsayer to know that the PDP vehicle was no longer capable of winning any election the way we were- badly fractured and disorientated.

“Having led the PDP to its  catastrophic outing, Mimiko now left the PDP to float ZLP, a party under which platform he contested Senatorial Elections in 2019. He lost to the PDP candidate Senator Ayo Akinyelure.

“This is the background to the Mimiko and the PDP story in Ondo State. I will save myself the details of Agboola Ajayi, the ZLP Governorship candidate in the 2020 Election who is aboard the Mimiko return flight.

“As long as effect is given to the provision of our Constitution, l have no qualms with their return to the PDP family. The more the merrier.”

Another party chieftain, Mr Oluwasomi Sunday, simply put it that “Mimiko has nothing to offer Ondo State PDP.

He continued “So Mimiko is coming back to destroy this party again?

“In 2006 he left the party and dismantled it to the root. For 8 years we struggled to get ourselves together, till today we haven’t recovered from his devilish act against us.

“In our 2020 governoship election, Dr Mimiko stood solidly against us and made sure we lost the election. We will never forget his activities against us in the election.

“This party needs to beg this man not to return to our party again, we have had enough of him, his coming back won’t add any value to us.”

However, another reaction from Mr Segun O. simply welcomed the Defection saying “Political parties are not prison yards, there are room for free entry and free exit especially in Naija.

“There are vehicles used by politicians to actualize one political aspirations or the other and no Single individual can lay claim to the ownership of any party.”