Mimiko declares for second term (What a surprise)

Posted by admin Headlines, Ondo, State News Thursday, July 26th, 2012

Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko yesterday in Akure, the state capital, declared his intention to run for a second term under the platform of the ruling Labour Party (LP).

Many of the guests, including notable Yoruba leaders, were absent.

Among them were the daughter of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Dr Tokunbo Awolowo-Dosumu, and former National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) chieftain Gen. Alani Akinrinade (rtd].

No reason was given for Mrs Awolowo-Dosunmu’s absence.

A report had quoted Gen. Akinrinade as saying he would not attend the event.

The former Transport Minister reportedly said he is not a member of LP but a Yoruba leader and frontline progressives.

Mimiko said he is committed to working for the people.

He said: “I give thanks to God that three and a half years on, we have, by the grace of God, lived by that commitment. During these three and a half years, we made the people of Ondo State the central focus of governance. We emplaced a string of people-oriented projects. We, by the sheer magnitude and quality of our projects, benchmarked Ondo State for Nigeria and, indeed, in many respects, for Africa.

“By so doing, we have succeeded in overcoming the mutual distrust and suspicion that characterised the relationship between government and the people. We have raised the profile of governance and set a standard beyond which no government can afford to fall in our dear State.

“For the three and a half years that we have been at the helm of affairs, we have, by the grace of God, pursued activities that cohere with our vision of government…”

The Southwest Zone of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) yesterday condemned Mimiko for declaring a second term ambition.

It noted that Nigerian students were still mourning the death of their four leaders who died in a road crash on July 13 after giving the governor an award in Abuja.

The dead were Presidents of NANS at the Federal University Technology, Akure (FUTA), Oluwaseun Awopegba; Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo, Akintola Abiodun; the state’s School of Midwifery, Akure, Oyinkan Olotu and Ondo Vice-President of NANS, Aremo Gbenga Oyebode, aka Socrates.

In a statement by its Southwest Coordinator, Adeyemo Monsuru, NANS said the governor has proved that he does not care about the masses but about his second term ambition.

Akure lawyer Mr. Morakinyo Ogele yesterday criticised the President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Abdulwahab Omar, for attending the second term declaration of Governor Mimiko.

Omar led some executive members of the NLC to the event.

The lawyer said Omar ought to resign since he has violated the Public Service Rules 2009 and Pension Reform Act 2004, 030422 (Sub D), which do not allow the executive to canvass support for a political candidate.

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