• Friday, March 29, 2024
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Mimiko returns to Labour Party, despite opposition

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The immediate past governor of Ondo state, Olusegun Mimiko has officially joined the Labour Party from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), describing the movement as a return to his political home.
The former governor, who governed the state for eight years between 2009 and 2012, returned to the Labour Party on Thursday with his teeming supporters across the state, and was received by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party led by the factional National Chairman, Abdukadir Abdulsalaam at the Ondo Civic Centre, in Ondo city.
Mimiko explained that the reason he left the party in 2014 for PDP was as result of his interest for the development of the country through restructuring which he said, the then PDP government promised by putting together the National conference.
“I have taken this decision out of the conviction on the need to catalyze a greater focus on the ideological content of the Nigerian political firmament. Recall that I was of the LP, and had won my two gubernatorial elections on the platform of the Party prior my decision to move over to the PDP in 2014. The implication of this is that there was practically no personal gain in focus for us in moving over to PDP as at that date.”
“The decision was also not borne out of any disagreement with LP, either ideologically or operationally. It was simply a decision that we needed to take in the higher interest of our country. We particularly had in focus the agenda of restructuring, which frontier the then president had extended a bit by convoking the National Conference. We thus felt compelled to work with his party, hoping that his victory in the 2015 election, would translate the vision of restructuring the Nigerian federation into reality.”
“Recall also that INEC had tweaked the order of the 2015 election, joining the presidential and National Assembly elections – to hold on the same day. It posed a huge practical challenge to get our supporters to vote a PDP presidential candidate, and LP legislative candidates, in the same election, on the same day. We thought helping to elect a presidential candidate that had demonstrated this commitment to restructuring of the country was well worth the risk associated with our having to step out of our LP platform onto PDP, on which the former president was running.”
“Even now, restructuring remains for us the critical plank without which the much needed stability and functionality of our country cannot be procured.” He said his return to the party was a patriotic decision towards giving the people an alternative and reposition the country for better.
He advised the people to go out next week, and register for the labour party for them to have the party’s card for them to prepare for the task ahead.
The former governor earlier  in the day registered at his ward 7 in Ondo West local government  area of the state.
While speaking at the event, the National Chairman of Labour  Party, Abdukadir Abdulsalaam noted that the party was delighted  to receive the former governor to the party because of his track records.
“The Labour Party is elated that that a social democrat like Mimiko, who through his sterling performances as governor mainstreamed pro-people and pro-poor people policies, programmes and projects, is returning to add value to the party. I assure you of our support and commitment at all times.”
But more Controversy have trailed the return of former Governor of Ondo state, Olusegun Mimiko to the Labour party, (LP) yesterday, even as the factional national chairman of the party, Mike Omotosho and other party chieftains have rejected his return and accused him of planning to destabilise the party.
Mimiko had initially defected to the Labour party in 2006 and won the governorship election of Ondo state under the platform of the party in 2007 and 2012, he had also defected to the People’s Democratic Party, (PDP) in 2003 from the Alliance for Democratic (AD).
But in a resignation letter send to the media, Mimiko said he left the PDP for personal reasons, while adding that it was a privilege to work with eminent Nigerians in the party.
“I hereby with utmost humility inform you of my decision to resign my membership of the PDP with effect from today for some well thought-out personal reasons.
“It was an honour working with the many prominent Nigerians with whom I shared the PDP platform for the entire period I was in there as a member.”
But speaking in a telephone interview with Business day yesterday, the national chairman of the party, Mike Omotosho rejected the defection of the former Governor to the party, adding that Mimiko did not pass through the right process to become a member.
Omotosho accused Mimiko of planning to hijack the party structure for his personal gains, while advising him to come and meet the Nigeria labour Congress, (NLC) and register if he wants to join the party.
He said: “It is not true Mimiko has return to the labour party, he went to the wrong people, he did not see the party leaders, and that is why we issued a statement on that. Mimiko is not wanted in our party, he can’t just come and join us let him go through the right process and register with the NLC if he wants to join the party”. Omotosho added.

Also speaking on Mimiko defection yesterday in an interview with Business day, a former chairman of the party in Lagos state, Biodun Popoola, accused Mimiko of pursing a personal agenda, adding that he was returning to sell the party to the APC ahead of the 2019 general elections.

“We know him, but what do you expect as the general elections approaches, he just wants to join the party and hijack the structure for the APC I am not surprise”.