Ondo: Ahead October 10: APC, ZLP Tango On Good Governance |The Source

By Ayodele Oni

Immediate past governor of Ondo State, Dr Olusegun Mimiko at the weekend insisted that his successor in office, Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN, is a disappointment to the people of the State.

But, in a swift reaction, a spokesman for Akeredolu Campaign Organization, Richard Olabode, said the ghost of those workers sacked by Mimiko’s administration will continue to haunt him for the rest of his life.

Mimiko, who addressed supporters of Zenith Labour Party,(ZLP) at Ile-Oluji/Okeigbo Local Government during the campaign tour of Deputy Governor Agboola Ajayi, described the present administration as anti-people because it cancelled  free health,   and increased tuition fees paid by tertiary institutions in the State.

The ZLP National leader declared that: “There is no person that will say he has performed. But how do we differentiate performance? Any government that has not democratised education is a bad government.

“This government that hiked school fee is a bad government. Akeredolu’s government is an enemy of the people. Anybody that votes Akeredolu is selling his children future.

“Any government that does not make health free is your enemy. Akeredolu’s government is an enemy of the people by cancelling mother and child and free health for children.

“Any time they come here to campaign for votes ask them, where is our shuttle buses. Where is our abiye?  The government that cancelled trauma centre is your enemy.”

The former governor lamented the failure of his successor to build on the successes recorded in the health and education sectors during his tenure as Governor.

In its reaction, Akeredolu Campaign Organization noted that it’s unfortunate that a Governor that sacked over 10,000 workers in the state is calling the Akeredolu administration anti-people.

“It’s on record that Governor Akeredolu, since inception in office has not sacked anyone  either at the local or state level.

“Those lecturers that were sacked unjustly at the Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo and Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, are still alive to bear witness to the anti-people  government of Mimiko in this state.

“Due to Politics, Mimiko killed the Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa (OAUSTECH). What’s more anti -people than the actions of Mimiko in abandoning various projects left behind by the late Olusegun Agagu?

“Akeredolu administration came and realized Mimiko only have two mother and child hospitals in the state. Governor Akeredolu has now expanded from two to seven and they are now across the three senatorial district of the state.

“As we speak, work is ongoing at the Teaching hospital both in Ondo and Akure. Akeredolu has introduced the Contributory Health Scheme which has also brought about free health care service for children under the age of five and pregnant women.”

Ajayi, the Governorship candidate of the ZLP is the Deputy Governor of the state. He refused to quit office after resigning from the APC. He initially decamped to the PDP. When he failed to pick the ticket of the PDP, he defected to the ZLP where he effortlessly picked the ticket.