The Governor of Ondo State, Olusegun Mimiko » ,
like the Biblical prodigal son, says he has found
the light and has gone back to where he belongs,
the Peoples Democratic Party » , (PDP), from the
Labour Party.
The only governor that the Labour Party was able
to produce, who decamped to the ruling party
together with all the members of the state House
of Assembly, representatives from Ondo State in
the National Assembly, and his supporters,was
received back to the PDP fold by the Vice
President, Namadi Sambo, Senate President,
David Mark, Deputy National Chairman, Uche
Secondus and top party men at the Banquet Hall
of the State House, Abuja, thus ending months of
speculations and armtwisting involving the PDP
and the opposition All Progressive Congress, APC.
Mimiko left the PDP about 8 years ago and his
going back to the party he once accused of
lacking internal democracy is seen as a betrayal
to the South-West and the APC and their attempt
to wrest power from the PDP come 2015.
He even promised to do everything possible to
make sure President Goodluck Jonathan is re-
elected in 2015.
Unfortunately at some point in the party’s
history, that room for democracy got
greatly conscripted. Thus, some eight
years ago, when we had need to run for office and
the space for internal democracy within PDP had
considerably shrank, we chose to leave, but then,
not to align with the then emergent opposition
party in the land, the ACN.
Rather, we chose to move away from both
and pick up Labour Party, a party that
was quite modest in its aspirations for
national elective offices and completely unknown
in Ondo State where we wanted to run for office.
Today, just barely one year into our
second term in office, it is obvious that
we do not have any office to run for either
now or in 2015.
Yet, we feel compelled to join hands with
the tendency that is aboard today in the
PDP, led by a President that is as
focused as he is patriotic, a team that has
demonstrated so much promise in its
commitment to democracy without which the
challenges facing our nation cannot be overcome.
And as someone who is positioned today
by providence to speak for the people of
Ondo State and our collaborators and
admirers across the nation, I do not have any
doubt whatsoever in my mind that the interest of
our people in Ondo State, the South West Zone
and that of Nigeria too, will be better served in the
PDP in the evolving political configuration in our
nation.
Our immediate target is to help the
process of getting President Goodluck
Ebele Jonathan elected. We hope to be
part of a process of creating, especially in the
South West, a solid and robust platform of
involvement in the election of the President,
governors and legislators and post election
governance structure which will help to engender
rapid socio-economic development.
It is in the light of the foregoing that I, Dr.
Olusegun Mimiko, following extensive
consultations across the land, today
formally announce the decision of members of
National Assembly from the LP in Ondo State,
members of the LP in the Ondo State House of
Assembly, members of the State Executive
Council and indeed all those who share our
aspirations, to join the PDP.
This decision arose after a period of
consultation with major stakeholders in
Ondo State, which include the
aforementioned as well as traditional and religious
leaders, market men and women, artisans, trade
unions and community as well as party leaders.
And considering that it was under this
same PDP that I was privileged to serve,
first as Secretary to the Government of
Ondo State and later as Minister of Housing and
Urban Development from July 2005 – December
2006, this is for us a homecoming of sort.
Isaac Dachen
is a Creative Writer, a professional
PR Manager, Brand Manager, Media
Manager, and Image/Perception
Manager, Script Editor, Content
Creator and avid reader. He is versatile, eclectic,
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