The Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, may dump his party, Labour Party for the Peoples Democratic Party.
A source in the Presidency on Friday
told our correspondent that negotiation was in advanced stage with the
governor to ensure a seamless defection to the ruling party before the
2015 elections.
Mimiko, who is the only governor elected on the platform of the Labour Party, is serving his second term in office.
Mimiko is a known political ally of the
PDP and a staunch supporter of President Goodluck Jonathan. He was a
member of the PDP before he defected to the LP in 2006 to contest for
the governorship election in Ondo State.
His planned defection was said to be part of the efforts by the ruling party to capture Ondo State in 2015.
An Ondo State Government House source,
who asked not to be named, confirmed that though Mimiko remained a
member of the LP, there had been intense pressure from the ruling party
to welcome him to its fold.
According to him, the PDP has doubled
its efforts to ensure that the governor defects to the ruling party. He
said, “We can’t deny intense pressure on Governor Mimiko to join the PDP
but he must consult before making such a decision. But for now, no
decision has been taken.
“The governor is still in the LP.
However, considering his support for Jonathan, some people are of the
opinion that voters may not be able to distinguish between PDP and LP in
the 2015 elections.”
The PDP Chairman in Osun State, Gani
Olaoluwa, had earlier said that Mimiko had concluded arrangements to
dump the LP for the PDP.
He said, “Arrangements have been concluded with Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State to defect from the LP to the PDP.
“The PDP is gaining and we are
attracting heavyweight politicians to the party. Former Kano State
Governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Shekarau, has defected to the PDP and you can
see that we are winning and that is just the beginning.”
Also, the PDP Deputy National Publicity
Secretary, Mr. Abdullahi Jalo, has described the planned defection of
the governor as “one of the fruits of the reconciliatory efforts
embarked upon by the party chairman, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu.”
Jalo said, “It is cheery news because we
are expecting not only Governor Mimiko, but all other genuinely
progressive governors to join us in the task of nation-building.
“We will welcome themwith open arms,
just as our doors will remain open to all Nigerians who are willing to
join the winning party.”
When contacted Ondo State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Kayode Akinmade, said that the governor remained a member of LP.
“As of today, the governor is still a member of LP. He has not defected to PDP,” he said.
Source:Punch Newspaper
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