The Ondo State governor, Olusegun Mimiko on Thursday officially decamped to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from the Labour Party.
He and his supporters were received back to the 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.
Mimiko said he left the PDP eight years ago when internal democracy within the party shrank.
Noting that he has no particular office to run for in 2015, he said that he has come back to the PDP towards supporting President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election next year.
He said: “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.
“Precisely on December 14, 2006, we publicly announced LP as our choice of platform. To the glory of God, four months later, in the April 14, 2007 election, we got the mandate of our people to govern Ondo State. Although our election was stolen by the political tendency in power in Abuja at the time, thanks to a judiciary that continues to be profoundly alert to its duty in a democracy, we managed to retrieve our mandate two years later.
“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.”
Continuing, he said: “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.
“But this decision to return to the PDP, we have taken in the overall interest of our people and our nation, and its democracy which for those who are perceptive enough to notice, is now mortally endangered by a constellation of forces which must be confronted. May I then add, that we take this epochal decision conscious of the fact that no political party in Nigeria today is anywhere near the point of perfection. But we are persuaded that joining hands with other Nigerians, committed as they are at repositioning the PDP on a continual basis, is the appropriate thing to do today. 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.” He added
The Vice President, Namadi Sambo noted that Mimiko’s return will raise the PDP in Into State and the South West as a whole.
He said: “Your coming back home is highly and deeply appreciated. I have no word to truly describe our feelings of your homecoming. We are confident that with your coming, the issues in the south west have been concluded.”
He directed the Deputy National Chairman to put machinery in place for PDP rally in Akure, Ondo State, in order to receive more members to the party.
The Senate President was confident that Mimiko’s return to the party will add value to the party at all level.
He charged Mimiko to reconcile every party member in the area to eliminate factional camps, even as he tasked all PDP members to receive him with open hand.
With the decamping, he said that PDP now has two state governors, hoping that Ekiti State Governor-elect, Ayo Fayose will be inaugurated into office on the 16th of this month.
“Ekiti governor will be sworn-in on the 16th of this month despite all the antics that is going on, ” he stated
Uche Secondus said that all the rights and privileges of Mimiko and his supporters have been restored as full members
He said that there will be level playing ground for all the new members that want to contest for any position in 2015.
With the home coming of Mimiko, he said that it has shown that the PDP is working hard and will retain power by 2015.
The National Vice Chairman, South West PDP, Ishola Filani said that Mimiko’s return will go a long way to affect positively the psyche of the Yoruba people.
“This will also go a long way to affect positively the election of President Jonathan that we have given sole candidacy,” he said.
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Mr. Governor, the good people of Ondo state have seen through the big lie that you represent. Majority of those with you believe deeply in their hearts that you are a big lier but they are simply not strong enough to say it to your face. It is true that the people fell for your tricks back then. They are wiser now. You have taken the state back to the pre-1999 era. There is nothing to show for the high level of indebtedness except the glorify maternity hospital called mother and Child. You are certain you will be rejected in the coming elections and that is the only reason you are running to a party that is well positioned to rubbish you in the forth coming elections. I sincerely hope the real leaders of the party in the state not the Adegokes and Agbis who are permanent on your payroll will see you for whom you are. There is peace in Ondo state PDP. No premature death, which is the order of the day in labour party. My hope and prayer is that the good Lord will not allow you to import these into PDP in Ondo state.
ReplyDeleteGovernor Mimiko, your time is up. The cycle is completed. Take a walk round the markets and see how people are suffering for trusting you with their votes. You destroyed the state. For six years you are unable to complete the Okitipupa/Irele road. All over the state the only projects are the market stalls built to appease the evil gods you serve. Killing your supporters mysteriously.
ReplyDeleteGovernor Mimiko, you can run but you can not hide. For deceiving us in Ondo state nemesis will catch up with you.
ReplyDeleteIs Labour party not one of the subsidiaries of PDP? So what is news in a staff being transfered from a subsidiary company to the parent company? I beg let's hear word.
ReplyDelete