Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko; his Anambra counterpart, Mr. Peter Obi; and a former Governor of Oyo State, Alhaji Rashidti Ladoja, may soon defect to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party.

Competent sources at the national headquarters of the party said on Friday that the party had concluded arrangements to have these men in its fold.

Mimiko was a member of the PDP before he defected to the Labour Party in 2006 to contest the governorship election in his state.

He had wanted to contest the election under the umbrella of the PDP but then President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo insisted that Dr. Olusegun Agagu would run for a second term.

The insistence of Obasanjo made Mimiko to resign his ministerial position and defect to the LP.

Though the Independent National Electoral Commission declared Agagu as the winner of the election, the Court of Appeal sitting in Benin later reversed the decision and proclaimed Mimiko the authentic winner.

Mimiko, who also defeated other governorship candidates, including that of the PDP, Chief Olusola Oke and that of the Action Congress of Nigeria, Chief Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, in the 2012 governorship election, will be sworn in on Sunday to begin his second term in office.

A member of the National Working Committee of the PDP, who spoke in confidence with our correspondent in Abuja on Friday, said discussions had been concluded with Mimiko on his return to the party.

Mimiko, he said, would be made the leader of the ruling party in the South-West, with the  mandate to reconcile aggrieved members of party in the zone.

Not only that, he said the governor, who after defection, would be the only governor of the PDP in the entire six states in the zone, will also be saddled with the responsibility of mobilising for the party in the zone.

The source said, “Mimiko is coming to the PDP. That is certain. Though we have not agreed on any date for his official defection, I can tell you authoritatively that we have concluded agreements on this.

“His coming would also help us in the South-West because of the coming governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states. We need to win at least one of the two states.

“Mimiko is going to be the leader of the party in the zone, because right now, the party is in disarray due to a lot of factions and court cases arising from the zonal congress of the party, which was nullified by the court.”

The plan to have Mimiko back in the PDP was said to have been hatched by Chief Ebenezer Babatope and Senator Bode Olajumoke.

The two men were said to have convinced President Goodluck Jonathan on the need for Mimiko to return to the party.

If he returns, he may do so with members of the LP in both the National Assembly and the Ondo State House of Assembly.

However, Mimiko and Obi said they had no plans to dump their respective platforms for the PDP.

Ondo State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Kayode Akinmade, said, “There is no iota of truth in the story. It was planted by the opposition to discredit our inauguration.

“We are focused on our inauguration and we will not give in to any form of distraction from anybody or group seeking cheap political relevance.”

Chief Press Secretary to the Anambra governor, Mr. Mike Udah, said, “Governor Obi is sitting pretty in APGA. He is comfortable in the party.

-Punch

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From TUNDE RAHEEM, Akure

Ondo State Commissioner for Transport, Mr Nicolas Tofowomo yesterday threw decorum to the wind as he openly slapped a director in the Ministry of Works, Mr M.J Afeniforo severally over a trivial issue. The commissioner was said to have approached the director for a tractor but Afeniforo was said to have told the commissioner that the tractors were already on various sites.

It was gathered that Afeniforo also told the commissioner that the Commissioner for Works, Gboye Adegbenro was aware of the development and asked him to call to verify. But Tofowomo, howev,er allegedly the commissioner for works and told him that the director of mechanical had diverted the tractors to his home town.

The director, it was learnt cautioned Tofowomo not to lie against him since he was saying the tractors were diverted to Ilara-Mokin. The commissioner was furious and slapped the director several times for arguing with him, an attitude sources in the ministry said had become common with Tofowomo. The development triggered the anger of workers of the ministry, who trooped out to protest injustice meted out on their senior officer and the commissioner, who sensed danger left hurriedly to his office.

The protest was later hijacked by the state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC), who converged on the premises of the ministry to protest the assault on Afeniforo. But the intervention of the Chairman of the Joint Negotiation Council, Mr. Solomon Adelegan saved the situation, as workers were poised to show the commissioner the way out of the ministry. The aggrieved workers vowed to deal with the commissioner if he did not stop what they called animalistic behaviour.

The Head of Service, Mrs. Kosemani Kolawole, invited the assaulted director and the permanent secretary, probably with a view to resolving the matter . All efforts to get the embattled commissioner to comment on the issue proved abortive as he did not respond to the calls put to him.

-Punch

Akinruntan, who led an advanced presidential team on a sympathy visit to the Alaafin on Saturday, said President Goodluck Jonathan was deeply saddened and shocked by the palace inferno.

The Ugbo monarch said he was at the palace in three capacities, as the fore-runner of the emissary by Mr. President, as the Chairman, Yoruba Conflict Resolution Committee and as the chairman of Ilaje Local Government Traditional Council and disclosed that the President specifically asked him to deliver his message to Alaafin, with a promise that he (President) would still send a powerful delegation to deliver his letter of sympathy as well as the necessary assistance towards the reconstruction of the burnt area of the palace.

Oba Akinruntan, who was later conducted round the razed apartments by Alaafin, described the incident as a disaster, not only to the Alaafin and the people of Oyo, but to the entire Yoruba people and urged for concerted efforts by every well-meaning sons and daughters of Yorubaland to rise to the challenge of making the palace the pride of place for all.

Alaafin was full of praises for Oba Akinruntan, whose ancestors he traced to be the first original settlers of the ancient Ife town, recalling that the Olugbo’s ancestors were the Ugbos that gave the Ifes nightmare before they left for their present site in the riverine area of Ondo State.

Oba Adeyemi also commended Olugbo for his untiring efforts to ensure that Yoruba Obas live in unity and oneness through the conflict resolution committee being chaired by him, stressing that he was ready to attend any meeting of the prominent Obas towards living in peace amongst themselves

Alaafin, however, maintained that there had never been a time in the history of Yoruba that Oyo was under any other town in Yorubaland and this had also informed his position, which to some people made him controversial.

-Guardian

Gov. Mimiko (Ondo)

By Emmanuel Ajibulu | Abuja, Nigeria | Nov. 4, 2012 |

As expected with every victory, the landslide success of Governor Olusegun Mimiko at the October 20, gubernatorial poll, triggered uncontrollable jubilation amongst the great people of Ondo State and even beyond. In the euphoria of jubilation, the number one citizen was swarmed with congratulatory messages from every part of the world for a victory well deserved. Records showed that on Sunday, (Oct 21) the four walls of Ondo State virtually stood still, as thousands of supporters of the Labour Party defied the scorching sun to embark on a victory procession around the state in celebration of the victory, a testimony to the fact that he is the people’s choice.

The Governor, who participated in the victory jubilation, assured the people of the state that with his re-election, more development would come to every part of the state. He said: “God has blessed our project, it is finished. Now is the time to give thanks to God, that today, a Holy Sunday, the people of Ondo State have spoken across Ondo South, across Ondo Central, across Ondo North. Our people are united by a common desire to build a new Ondo State for a greater future. I thank you for standing on your feet. On our feet, we shall fight for freedom; we shall never go on our knees. You young ones must remember that this fight was and is for your tomorrow.”

Mimiko convincingly won at the polls no doubt, however one cannot forget so soon the various campaigns of calumny which pervaded the pre-Ondo guber polls against the incumbent ‘Iroko’ especially from PDP and ACN. Although, the People’s Democratic Party was slightly fair in its guber campaigns. But, it sometimes attacked the personality of Labour party standard bearer; most of the campaigns were based on denying the good works of Mimiko which were his qualification certificates before the people. Since the people of Ondo State despise deceptions, sadly the party failed to win the hearts of a majority of the principled Ondo people.

On the part of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) which its candidate came third in the contest, the first miscalculation of the party was the alleged imposition of Rotimi Akeredolu as its candidate by the party’s leadership. This, to indigenes of Ondo State meant that there was no internally democratic mechanisms that were fair to all in the party; the people also saw the party as cheating against those candidates who were not given equal treatments. Akeredolu could be a very good candidate but the way he was selected was annoying and those who know the people of the state would not be surprised if a kinsman of Akeredolu opposed him for cheating others in the race.

In another token, it was obvious that the ACN did not take its time to study the people. Since they had been succeeding in the other South-West states, the leaders of the party concluded that the same tactics, strategies and weapons used in those states were enough to “capture” Ondo State. At the time the ACN was campaigning, Mimiko was the governor of the state and the people would have wanted him to be treated as such. The people did not like some derogatory and uncomplimentary languages used and also the sheer arrogance and pride displayed against their incumbent Governor. It was therefore true that some of those who had vowed to vote for the ACN actually changed their minds when they heard those disparaging words used against him by the party leaders. Even if money and materials were distributed, the people’s hearts had been fixed against the party.

Also another factor which was identified that worked against the ACN was the perception of Senator Bola Tinubu by the people of Ondo state who saw him as pillar and godfather of all the party’s appointed and elected men and women including the six state governors under ACN platform. The truth is that an average indigene of Ondo State detastes godfatherism and dictatorship. The people will rather like a governor whose administration cannot be hijacked by external interests.

Be it as it may, many political observers still find the Ondo gubernatorial race interesting as a result of the intrigues, upsets and revelations that have trailed past governorship elections in the state. The 1983 election is one that is still very potent in the memories of the people. Unprecedented violence followed the announcement of the result by Federal Electoral Commission (FEDECO), the then electoral body. The orgy of violence only subsided when amends were made by the Court of Appeal and Chief Adekunle Ajasin was announced as the winner of the election before his former Deputy, Akin Omoboriowo could be sworn in. Omoboriowo had left the UPN after his boss allegedly reneged on an agreement that he would not seek a second term.

For Governor Olusegun Rahman Mimiko, the journey to the Alagbaka Government House started long before the 2007 elections. Having cut his teeth as the Publicity Secretary of the Ondo Local Government chapter of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) in 1983, he ran for electoral office in 1990 when he vied for the Chairmanship of Ondo Local Government on the platform of the Social Democratic Party. His zeal as a party man did not go unnoticed, as he was appointed as a member of the campaign organization of Evangelist Bamidele Olumilua who contested for governorship then. By 1992, he was appointed as the Commissioner for Health by Governor Olumilua. As Commissioner, he facilitated the “Pharmacy Shop” system which ensured 24-hour pharmacy services in the major hospitals in the state then.

Moreover, Dr. Mimiko had already become a major political force by the time the Fourth Republic commenced. In view of his immense contributions to the electoral victory of the Alliance for Democracy in the 1999 governorship election in Ondo State, he was again appointed as the Commissioner for Health by Chief Adebayo Adefarati. He however resigned precisely on the 7^th of November 2002. After quitting as Commissioner, he heeded calls to join the governorship race. He however left the Alliance for Democracy when the party failed to hold primary elections in order to select the party’s flag bearer. He thereafter pitched his tent with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Even as a new member of the PDP, Mimiko was not irrelevant in the scheme of the party. Again in recognition of his being instrumental to his new party’s success at the governorship polls in 2003, he was appointed as the Secretary to the State Government by Governor Olusegun Agagu.

He was SSG till July 2005 when the then President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo appointed him as Minister for Housing and Urban Development. Again, Dr. Mimiko heeded calls to contribute more to the development of his state and he resigned his appointment in December, 2006 to participate in the 2007 governorship election. While many were still wondering how he planned to defeat a sitting Governor at the primaries, Dr. Mimiko presented the Labour Party to the people of Ondo State on December 14, 2006 at the City Hall, Akure and he contested for the election on the party’s platform. Though the electoral commission announced Dr. Agagu as the winner, after a legal tussle which ended with the appellate court, it was affirmed that the election was indeed won by Dr. Mimiko. He became the Ondo State Governor on February 23, 2012.

It was a great joy for the good people of Ondo that the state did not experience the ‘Armageddon’ that actually hung in the air in the Oct 20 polls. In place of doom, the state witnessed bliss, courtesy of a globally-acclaimed free and fair election. In fact, many  individuals and institutions that had, on account of the palpable fear occasioned by pre-election tension in Ondo, been at alert to outdo one another in sympathising with the state, in the event of the undesirable expected, were disappointed. And now that elections are over, we have a re-elected Governor that is competent, progressive, trusted, tested and reliable.

The resounding victory of Mimiko in the election is a product of good governance of his administration, Mimiko stood by the people all through the period, by embarking on various developmental projects that have direct bearing on them. Mimiko’s victory was not bought, but laboured for, and amazingly the governor would not let the people down even in his second term in office. The applause that greeted the victory of Mimiko across the country, shortly after the announcement, especially from the president, Dr Goodluck Jonathan; leadership of both chambers of the National Assembly, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), state governors, including the Edo State governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and a host of others was an indication that he was the popular choice of the people.

Emmanuel Ajibulu wrote from 3 Arms Zone Abuja emmanuelajibulu@gmail.com

AKURE — FOUR leaders of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, in Ondo State have been arrested and detained at the Criminal Investigation Department, CID, Akure, for allegedly absconding with the money meant for governorship election of the party in the state.

Sources within the party said the suspects after collecting the money running into millions of naira fled.

Deputy Director-General of ACN campaign team in Ondo South Senatorial District Mr. Femi Johnson said this in Akure.

The suspects included a former Special Assistant to a Minister, a legal practitioner in Ilaje Local Government, one local government party chairman in the southern senatorial district and a chieftain of the party in the area.

Mr. Johnson, who however, declined to disclose the specific amount the suspects absconded with, said the leadership of the party would recover the stolen money from them.

He pointed out that the money was meant for the election in the southern senatorial district and was directly handed over to the suspects for distribution until they bolted away with it.

He however denied that he was arrested alongside the suspects, adding that the money released through him six weeks to the election, was disbursed appropriately to the accused

-Vanguard

By Sam Eyoboka

THE General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, has described the re-election of the Ondo State governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, as clean, transparent and peaceful.

The clergyman made the remark in a congratulatory message by his Special Assistant on Administration and Personnel, Pastor Johnson Odesola, to the governor and the entire people of Ondo State, yesterday.

He maintained that the re-election of Mimiko was indeed a landslide victory, saying, “So overwhelming that everyone agrees that the result was a true and accurate expression of the voters’ choice.”

Adeboye stated that the entire family of the RCCG is proud of Mimiko’s honesty, transparency, dedication and hard work in his first term in office and wishes he continues in that light and with the fear of God, with his second term.

-Vanguard

By Raheem Oluwafunminiyi | Ibadan, Nigeria | Oct. 24, 2012 -

For those who watched and observed with keen interest the Edo gubernatorial election few months ago, it would not be a misnomer to posit that those who wanted to take the back door to win the election at all cost quickly found it expedient to spread apprehension around days into the election, yet failed to make good their plan. The apprehension was quite high that it was thought Edo state would boil and therefore lead to total break-down of law and order, yet the people of the state defied all, coming out enmasse to vote for the candidate of their choice.

The same scenario played itself in the Ondo state election for two reasons. The first being that the three candidates were quite powerful, popular and presentable in their own right and the second that all three represented each the three powerful political parties in the country. With these coupled with the fact that there existed series of vested interests in the election, it was not surprising why thousands of soldiers were deployed to the state to do a job the police and other para-military formations would ordinarily have been made to do in saner climes. At the end, the Ondo election was more than peaceful, even as few troubles were noticed in some places but summarily checkmated.

To keen observers, both election had the incumbents winning a second term in office with massive landslive victories. In Edo state for example, the winner of the election, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole won with 73.7 per cent of the vote while the Peoples Democratic Party, took only 22.3 per cent of the ballots cast. The remaining 4 per cent was split among five other parties. In Ondo state on the other hand, governor Olusegun Mimiko polled 260, 199 votes as against 155, 961 and 143, 512 votes from both the PDP and ACN. The implication of this is that the people had come out to vote despite the threats, unfounded apprehension, stories of insecurity and breakdown of law and order. The people had made their choice and were neither hampered nor schemed out from doing so.

Having said this, it should not be a surprise to many how both incumbents in Edo and Ondo states won the gubernatorial in a land-slide. In Edo state for instance, comrade Oshiomhole had it tough not with the PDP flagbearer this time around, but the series of political godfathers quite powerful within the state and around Aso-Rock. With the likes of these godfathers, it was thought whatever incumbency power Oshiomhole wielded would amount to nothing, yet the pendulum moved in the way of the latter.

In Ondo state, the drama was far more different and quite interesting as not only godfathers dictated the tunes but also the three political parties danced to  a new concordant tune. As if that was not enough, the three political flagbearers are sons of the soil who had proven their worth in their respective fields. They are highly known, respected, quite popular, politically connected and critically intelligent. With an Olusola Oke or a Rotimi Akeredolu as candidates of a political party, it was enough for both to win massively, how much more with Olusegun Mimiko. Their personalities are reminiscent of a sell-out concert. Despite these, the incumbent governor won.

The picture this writer is trying to paint is that godfatherism, threats of apprehension, voter apathy, vote buying, rigging, electoral violence and fraud, ballot box snatching, intimidation, impersonation and  all brands of electoral malfeasance popular in the country and between the ruler and ruled are beginning to be wiped away. This of course was evident in both Edo and Ondo with the people displaying a high sense of maturity and a determination to vote for a square peg in a square hole.

The elections in both states reminds one that in today’s Nigeria, political parties and candidates don’t matter but ‘perfomance’. It is a known fact that comrade Oshiomhole and Dr. Mimiko had both performed during their first term and no matter the lies peddled by propagandists, uninformed groups, political jobbers and sycophants, perfomance certainly made way for their victories. Anambra and Lagos states under Peter Obi and Babatunde Fashola also reminds many of governors who won their second term as a result of performance. This goes to show that in Nigeria, with billions of Naira allocated to a state, miracles could be performed.

The year 2015 is around the corner with what had taken place in Ondo state still fresh in the minds of voters. The days of ‘I wore no shoes’ speech are over. A leader saddled with the responsibility to effect a change in his society must begin to perform else the vast majority of the people ‘will not give a damn’.

Raheem Oluwafunminiyi is a social commentator and public affairs analyst and could be reached via creativitysells@gmail.com

The people’s Democratic Party, PDP in Ondo state has declared
that the Ondo state governorship election is “marred by
irregularities” and may go to court to challenge the results of the
election.

In a statement issued by PDP spokesman in the state Ayo Fadaka,
the party says it rejects results of Ilaje Ese Odo area which is
apparently the strong base of its candidate, Olusola Oke.

The statement partly reads: “Provisionally, we declare that this
election is marred by irregularities and if after our findings we
discover that the extent is massive, we will certainly seek redress at
the Election Petition Tribunal.”

“The Party will set up a team of professional investigators to
understudy the conduct of the elections and make their reports
available within 15 days after which the party will now take a
decision on its next line of action.”

“We take serious exception to the fact that election was not
conducted in two wards in Ilaje Local Government and other areas
across the state. This unlawful disenfranchisement of voters
through the negligence of INEC is most inexcusable.”

Meanwhile, the Transitional Monitoring Group (TMG) has given the
conduct of the Ondo polls a pass mark. The group noted that
though there were few noticeable lapses but added that those
issues were not enough to discredit the entire process.

Governor Olusegun Mimiko of the Labour Party (LP) was yesterday
declared the winner of the governorship polls with 260,199 votes.
While PDP candidate Olusola Oke came second with 155,961 votes
and A C N’s Rotimi Akeredolu came third with 143,512 votes.

Security has been beefed-up in Ondo state ahead of today’s governorship election across the
state even as General Officer Commanding 2nd Division Nigerian Army, Major Gen. Mohammed
Abubakar deployed soldiers into the state to provide protection for “voters and electoral officials.”

Addressing the men of the 32 Artillery Brigade Akure, Maj. Gen. Abubakar said there would be no
hunting and fishing on the election day warning  that no one should carry their local hunting guns
under the pretence of going to bush to hunt.

He thus ordered his soldiers to arrest anyone other than security agents who carry guns on the
election day even as he warned them to be vigilant of fake soldiers and policemen who will try to
infiltrate their ranks.

His words “No movement on the election day except for those on essential duties and those on
election duty, No hunting on election day. I don’t want to hear that I am going to the bush to hunt.
Anybody with arms must be arrested. If he resists arrest, shoot him; I give you the order.”

Meanwhile, our correspondent in Ondo reports that armed soldiers have taken over all entry points
into the state to check importation of hoodlums and thugs from neighbouring states.

The three main contenders in the election are: Gov. Olusegun Mimiko, a candidate of the labour
party, who is seeking re-election; Chief Olusola Oke, the flag bearer of the People’s Democratic
Party, PDP; and Rotimi Akeredolu, the flag bearer of the Action Congress of Nigeria (A C N).

In a statement by the MCO’s Director of Publicity and Media Relations, Kolawole Olabisi, it warned Tokyo to stay away from the state, just as it appealed to the national leadership of the NURTW to prevail on the controversial drivers’ union leader not to allow himself to be used by selfish politicians.

The statement: “We are aware of the latest in the dastard plan of those who have vowed to publicly, and unashamedly too, that they will capture Ondo State and merge it with their empire to maim, and possibly kill our members and leaders with a view to striking terror in their hearts. They have been bringing all the known dreaded thugs and killers into our State; one of whom is Tokyo and his gang.

“In Ondo State members of the State Chapter of the NURTW and Road Employers Transport Association of Nigeria (RETAN) are happy with the positive development that the Olusegun Mimiko government had brought to the State. Today, they all have new taxis, buses including one of the best modern Motor Parks in Nigeria built for them by this Government.

”It would now be wrong to bring in a member of the same association in the garb of Tokyo to Ondo State to come and cause trouble. This is akin to setting members of the same associations against one another and the resultant effect is better not imagined.”

“While we are appealing to Tokyo to please stay out of Ondo State, we want to appeal to the national leadership of the NURTW and other transport workers associations in Nigeria to please appeal to Tokyo and his boys not to allow ACN to use them on a journey to perdition. We have no quarrel with the members of NURTW, not with Tokyo or anybody. Those who boast that they are on ground in Ondo State should go and sell their manifestoes to the electorate rather than engaging on media stunts, violence and outright lies. They should emulate us in LP who, despite the fact that we have performed well,  still go about campaigning and soliciting for votes.”

-Vanguard