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Tag: Mimiko

  • Mimiko responsible for PDP’s loss in Ondo governorship election – Gulak

    A former political adviser to former President Goodluck Jonathan has said Governor Olusegun Mimiko should be held responsible for the loss of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in the recently held governorship election in Ondo State.

    Gulak said all was not over for the party but it needs to fix its internal rancours to come out successful in subsequent elections in the country.

    Gulak, who decried loss of the Ondo election to the All Progressives Congress, APC, blamed Governor Olusegun Mimiko for the defeat.

    Gulak who spoke in an interview with Daily Trust said: “The leadership tussle has affected the fortunes of the party negatively. A house divided against itself cannot stand. That is why this issue must be resolved politically.”

    “Look at the Edo election, everybody was so sure that the PDP would win but because the house was divided, the party could not perform.

    “Look at the Ondo election, the PDP lost even before going into the elections because the governor forcefully made the party adopt a candidate that was not popular within the state.

    “More so, the governor having served eight years, wanted to force another person from his local government to be governor and the people of Ondo rejected it. That is why the Senator Ali Modu Sheriff group said we cannot win the election with this candidate.

    “We called the governor, Governor Mimiko, please, realize that the people of Ondo are not woods, they are not stones, they are not idiots; they are not fools.

    “You have served as governor of Ondo for eight years; you cannot bring somebody from your own local government and expect the people of Ondo to elect him to succeed you. That is why Ali Modu Sheriff produced Jimoh Ibrahim among other five aspirants.

    “Jimoh Ibrahim was the authentic candidate of the PDP and we were coasting home to victory for PDP until at the eleventh hour, by misrepresentation, the Court of Appeal said that Jegede should be the candidate.

    “That was a slap on the face of the people of Ondo and who went to the polls and spoke and when they spoke, they spoke vehemently and that is how PDP lost. So to this end I will say the crisis within the PDP has really affected the party’s fortunes negatively”, he added.‎

    Expressing optimism that the PDP will bounce back in 2019, Gulak said “once we get over this crisis, which I hope will be over very soon, we will begin to pick the pieces and we will begin to rebuild.

    “Even the ruling APC is not crisis-free. They too have the fair share of crisis. I am happy that our crisis started earlier and we are pulling through.

    “I will call on PDP stakeholders to sheathe their swords, let us bring this party back to the people; the party does not belong to an individual.

    “PDP is the only party that can give this country a sense of direction. It is the only party that can pull this country out of economic doldrums that we are facing today”, further stated.

  • Mimiko’s legacy difficult to surpass — Akeredolu

    Mimiko’s legacy difficult to surpass — Akeredolu

    Governor-elect in Ondo State, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, said on Wednesday that the enviable record of service of Governor Olusegun Mimiko would be difficult to surpass.

    Akeredolu said this when he led some members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state on a courtesy visit to Mimiko in his office in Akure.

    He commended Governor Mimiko for devoting his time to the service of the people of the state, adding that his wealth of experience and advice would be needed for sustainable development.

    “We are here as indigenes of Ondo who are concerned about the progress and development of the state.

    “We all owe you debts of gratitude for your service to this state and to Nigeria.

    “Whether we like it or not, you have a track record that I’m not too sure many people can surpass because the early part of your life you have devoted to this state.

    “It is not something that is common and I hope I’ll have the opportunity of repeating it.”

    He further urged political leaders to emulate the kind of transition ongoing in Ondo State.

    Responding, Mimiko promised to continue to offer meaningful advice to the incoming governor at all times.

    He noted that ensuring peace was one of the greatest legacies of his administration and urged the governor-elect to sustain the prevailing peace for the socio-economic development of the state.

    Akeredolu was accompanied on the visit by some APC leaders including, Mr Ifedayo Abegunde, and Mr Victor Olabintan.

  • APC lauds Mimiko’s congratulatory message, urges smooth transition

    APC lauds Mimiko’s congratulatory message, urges smooth transition

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State has expressed delight in the congratulatory message sent by Governor Olusegun Mimiko to the Governor-elect, Mr Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN).

    The party’s Publicity Secretary, Mr Abayomi Adesanya, in a statement issued in Akure on Thursday, commended Mimiko for his ”show of sportsmanship’’.

    “We accept the congratulatory message of Mr Governor on our candidate’s landslide victory in the last Saturday’s governorship election.

    “APC commends the outgoing governor for his statesmanship.

    ”We urge him to ensure smooth transition and genuine handover devoid of discrepancies and imbalances experienced by President Muhammadu Buhari when he took over from former President Goodluck Jonathan,” Adesanya said.

    Recall that Governor Mimiko had on Nov. 28 congratulated Akeredolu and wished him success in the challenging task of governing the state.

    Recall also that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC had declared Akeredolu of the APC as winner of the Nov. 26 governorship election in the state after polling 244,842 votes to beat his closest rival, Eyitayo Jegede of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), who garnered 150,380 votes.