Mimiko’s defection to PDP jolts politicians Reactions have continued to trail the decampment of Olusegun Mimiko, Governor of Ondo State, from Labour Party (LP) to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). For the PDP in Lagos State, Mimiko action was a good development, which will add value to the politics of the South West. State chairman of the party, Tunji Shelle, said Mimiko has always been a ‘friend’ of the party. He described the defection as a positive development that would further cement PDP’s grip on South West politics. His words: “We are very happy for Mimiko. He has made the right decision one that the people of Ondo will be proud of. “He has aligned himself with the only political party that enjoys wide acceptance from Nigerians. Mimiko has always been a friend of the PDP. “And I strongly believe that his joining our party will add value to South West politics”. According to Shelle, with Mimiko’s defection, the PDP now has two states in its kitty, having won the gubernatorial election in Ekiti State. “With his defection, the PDP now has two states in its fold in the South West. And I tell you that it is just a matter of time, we will reclaim all our states back from the APC. “People are fed up with them because of their anti- people policies”, he said One of LP’s gubernatorial aspirants in Oyo State, Olu Abiala, in his reaction, appeared not to have come to terms with the exit of the Ondo governor. He said that Mimiko would have to offer painful explanations over his purported defection to the PDP. Abiala, who said he received the news of the defection with measured caution, described it as shocking, unthinkable as well as unimaginable, noting that it ran contrary to what the governor told him during one of our meetings. “Then, he told me that it would be unethical to drop the only party that offered him platform when he was left in the cold”. He admitted being wooed by the PDP with virtually everything possible to the extent that he was promised that the entire party machinery in the South West geo-political zone would be handed over to him.” He added that Mimiko had promised them that nothing would make him abandon the party. “But, with this development, if it is true, then, I would not know what had since transpired to bring this about and it is a blow to the party being the only governor being looked unto”, Abiala stated. Sources close to the opposition All Progressive Congress told Sunday Independent that there is no surprised about the development. Feelers from the party showed that it was surprised the governors defection took this long in coming. They had expected it long ago, especially because Mimiko was originally in the PDP before he joined LP; and because of his body language which made him out as an LP member just in name. Tam David West, a former Nigerian Petroleum Minister, said he was sure PDP would not take the governor serious as a member of their party.
Posted on: Sun, 24 Aug 2014 04:13:49 +0000
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