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Tag: Mimiko

  • True federalism is way to go, says Mimiko

    True federalism is way to go, says Mimiko

    Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko has said true federalism is the way forward for the country.

    He urged the All Progressives Congress (APC) to play down on its politics and focus more on governance. He also urged the Federal Government to check the arbitrary billing for power consumption.

    Mimiko spoke in Akure, the state capital during the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP’s) Congress at the weekend.

    He condemned the “arbitrary billing system by the discos, which has made electricity bills gone haywire”, even as he urged the Federal Government to “firm up its regulatory mechanism in this direction”.

    Governor Mimiko, who called for the implementation of the 2014 National Conference report, posited that the country is not likely to move forward with its present system of operation, insisting that anything short of true federalism will leave it moving in snail speed.

    He posited that deregulating the oil sector will only add to the hardship in the land, saying it was time the needful was done and federalism practiced in its true form. “The system of government we run cannot work,” he said.

    Mimiko maintained that “we must decentralise to succeed in this country. The challenges confronting us as a country can only be addressed if we practice true federalism”.

    He also called for unity among PDP members, saying the future of the country is in the hands of the party and that the PDP will determine the country’s future, going by the current situation in the country.

    His words: “The PDP has a bright future in this country, but our actions and inactions will determine its future. We must, therefore, stand for integrity as a party with the history of integrity and progressivism.

    “The truth which we stand for will vindicate us in the Southwest PDP. Governor Ayo Fayose and I are working for the progress of the party in the Southwest and we shall continue to do that.”

  • We’ve raised the bar, says Mimiko

    We’ve raised the bar, says Mimiko

    Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko has said his administration has raised the standard of governance in the state.

    He said the state is not only a global benchmark in a couple of initiatives but the diligent implementation of its programmes has also won it accolades.

    Addressing a stakeholders’ meeting in Akure, the governor said some of the initiatives of his government include Abiye Safe Motherhood Programme, Mother and Child Hospitals, Trauma and Surgical Centre, Kidney Care Centre, urban renewal programme, modern neighbourhood markets, the ultra-modern automart, water supply schemes, housing estates, school free shuttle scheme and over 600 community-driven projects, among others.

    The state, he registered, now has an International Event Centre, otherwise known as The Dome, which is fast becoming the cynosure of all eyes.

    “We have not only benchmarked programmes and projects for other states in the health sector, urban renewal, education, wealth creation and other sectors we have succeeded in making Ondo State an unfolding destination of choice for entertainment and medical tourism.

    “We have emplaced programmes and instituted policies that the future generation will applaud and we have laid an irreversible path to progress in Ondo State.”

  • Mimiko, Fayose in battle for Southwest PDP’s soul

    Mimiko, Fayose in battle for Southwest PDP’s soul

    Parallel meetings hold today in Akure, Ijebu-Igbo

    Zoning crisis deepens

    The National Auditor of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Adewole Adeyanju, yesterday described the suspension of Ogun State Chairman Chief Adedayo Dayo, by the State Working Committee as illegal and unconstitutional.

    In a statement yesterday, Adeyanju said Dayo and Secretary of the party in the state, Alhaji Seminu Sodipo, were reported to have been suspended by nine members of the SWC on Monday in Abeokuta.

    Adeyanju said no state chapter of the party had the power to suspend or discipline its chairman without following due process as contained in the party’s Constitution.

    He said only the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party had such power and could be enforced only after thorough investigation into allegations against the chairman.

    “Chief Dayo being a member of the NEC of the Party can only be disciplined or suspended from office by the NEC based on reports from the state chapter of the party upon thorough investigation.

    “This has not been, and until this is done, the purported suspension is illegal,” Adeyanju said.

    He added that the suspension became questionable as some of the SWC members involved in the action had left the party prior to the 2015 general elections.

    “Many of them went to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) while some moved to the All Progressive Congress (APC) and the party had since replaced them from their respective zones.

    “They are only coming back to cause crisis in the Party. This, we will not allow to happen,” he said.

    Dayo and Sodipo were purported suspended indefinitely over alleged financial impropriety, imposition of candidates and exclusion of party officials from the ongoing party congresses in the state.

    There seems to be no end in sight to the crisis rocking the Southwest Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    The two factions hold parallel meetings today in Akure, the Ondo State capital, and Ijebu-Igbo, Ogun State, to discuss its proposed national convention.

    The Akure meeting, which is slated for the Government House, Alagbaka, is convened by Governor Olusegun Mimiko, who is leading party elements opposed to the zoning of the national chairmanship to the North and moves by the chairman, Senator Modu Sheriff, to extend his tenure beyond the May 21 convention.

    The Ijebu-Igbo meeting, which has the backing of Senator Buruji Kashamu (Ogun East) and five PDP state chairmen, is being convened by Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose.

    A statement by the PDP National Vice Chairman, Chief Makanjuola Ogundipe, said the Ijebu-Igbo meeting, which will take place at Omoilu Foundation Headquarters, will forge a common front on the zoning of party positions, ahead of the national convention billed for Port-Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

    Expected at the meeting are members of the NEC from Southwest, Board of Trustees (BoT) members, former and serving governors and deputy governors, former and serving senators, and former and serving National Assembly members.

    Others are former governorship candidates and their running mates, former ministers and ambassadors, six state chairmen and members of the working committees, former and present members of Houses of Assembly and 50 selected leaders from each of the six states.

    But, a source close to Miniko said: “The real meeting of Yoruba leaders in the PDP takes place tomorrow (today) in Akure. The governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, is convening the meeting on behalf of the leaders. We know that some people have slated a parallel meeting at Ijebu-Igbo.  But, that Ijebu-Igbo meeting is a non-event.”

    According to the source, prominent PDP leaders expected at the Akure meeting include former Deputy Chairman Chief Olabode George, former Transport and Aviation Minister Chief Ebenezer Babatope, former Works Minister Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, former Majority Leader of the House of Representatives Hon. Mulikat Adeola-Akande, former Sports and Special Duties Minister Prof. Taoheed Adedoja, former Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Chief Jumoke Akinjide, Senator Femi Kila, Senator Bode Olajumoke, Ambassador Dare Bejide, Chief Ladosu Ladipo, Dr, Doyin Okupe, Chief Yekini Adeojo, Chief Joju Fadairo, Prince Nekan Olateru-Olagbegi and Capt. Tunji Shelle.

    It is not certain whether former Ogun State Governor Gbenga Daniel will attend the Akure or Ijebu-Igbo meeting. Although he was present at the PDP elders’ meeting in Lagos two weeks ago, he did not speak at the meeting.

    The source added: “It is possible that some leaders from other zones will also attend the Akure meeting in solidarity with the cause of the Southwest.”

    Shedding light on what he described as the Southwest cause, the source said: “There is an effort to relegate the Southwest to the background in the PDP by some elements who are sacrificing our interest on the altar of their 2019 ambition. These are the Southwest elements backing the zoning of the chairmanship and the presidential candidate of the PDP to the North.”

    The zonal body split into two factions a month ago, following the zoning of the chairmanship to the North. The Fayose/Kashamu camp endorsed the zoning and backed Sheriff’s chairmanship aspiration. Other Southwest leaders, led by George, opposed it, saying that the slot should have been zoned to the Southwest.

    At a meeting of some PDP  leaders in Lagos, George said it was strange that the two critical positions of chairman and presidential standard bearer are zoned to the North, in utter insensitivity to the interest of the South. The BoT member also said Sheriff’s ambition is contradictory to his promise to hand over to a new chairman at the convention.

    Ahead of the ratification of the zoning arrangement by the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party, some PDP leaders from the Southwest had stormed the PDP National Secretariat to show solidarity for Sheriff’s bid. In the delegation were the chairmen of the PDP in Ondo, Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Ekiti and Lagos. However, the Lagos chairman, Capt. Tunji Shelle, retraced his steps, saying that he was not properly briefed about the mission to Abuja.

    Party sources said during the meeting of the PDP Governors’ Forum, which considered the Committee report  on Zoning, headed by Akwa Ibom State Governor ,  Mimiko pleaded with the governors and other party leaders to consider the agitation of the Southwest for the position, but without success.

    At the meeting of the Southwest PDP Elders’ Summit in Lagos convened by George, party leaders, especially those attending the Akure meeting, vowed to resist the zoning arrangement, saying that it was in bad faith. According to the zoning formula, the national secretary, the national publicity secreatry and the national auditor are zoned to the Southwest.

    Hope of a truce between the two factions dimmed this week when Fayose fired salvos at George, describing him as a spent force. He said it was curious that elders who have dominated the political scene for decades were unwilling to give youths a chance to actively participate in party affairs because of their over-bearing influence.

    The Ekiti governor also said that George has an axe to grind with him because he refused to support his chairmanship bid.

     

  • Mimiko raises alarm over herdsmen’s attack

    Mimiko raises alarm over herdsmen’s attack

    Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko has raised the alarm over the incessant killings and wanton destruction of property by Fulani herdsmen in various parts of the country.

    He urged religious leaders to pray more for peace in the country.

    Mimiko spoke when the executive members of the state chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) visited him.

    The governor said if the heinous crime against humanity being committed by the Fulani herdsmen was not checked, Nigeria would be moving towards a precipice.

    According to him, religious leaders must pray fervently for the unity, peace and development of the country, which he said is confronted with challenges.

    He debunked the claim by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission (ICPC) that his administration diverted the bail out fund meant for workers’ salaries.

    Mimiko told the religious leaders that the state has been written to the ICPC to correct the claim.

    He faulted the report that only N7.9billion was paid to workers out of the N9.4 billion bailout paid to the state, saying his administration added N50million to the bailout to pay the workers’.

  • Students finger Mimiko in NANS crisis

    Students finger Mimiko in NANS crisis

    Is Governor Olusegun Mimiko behind the crisis rocking the Ondo State chapter of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) Joint Campus Committee (JCC)? Yes, say some students, who accuse him of dividing the committee among members, because of the state’s forthcoming governorship election. The government dismisses the allegation as baseless, reports TAIWO ADEBULU.

    WHO is the leader of the Ondo State chapter of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) Joint Campus Committee (JCC)? Two students Samson Falegan and Anthony Atolusi are laying claim to the seat following the committe’s convention at the Federal College of Agriculture in Akure, the state capital, last month. Their squabble has led to the committee’s factionalisation.

    Some students have accused Governor Olusegun Mimiko of fometing the crisis, saying he wanted to plant his stooges in the JCC ahead of the state’s governorship election.

    JCC members alleged that trouble starter after the governor’s failure to impose his candidate as JCC chairman.

    The chairmanship candidates at the convention were Anthony, Samson, Azeez Adebowale, Damilare Olusanya and Olasunkanmi Olajuyin. Nine tertiary institutions participated in the election. Delegates comprised Students’ Union Government (SUG) presidents of the nine institutions.

    Before the election, Falegan was alleged to be Mimiko’s candidate because of his membership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Anthony won with five votes; Azeez and Samson polled two votes each.

    The convention chairman, Oluwakayode Ogunade, declared Anthony the winner in a ceremony witnessed by representatives of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), the Department of State Service (DSS) and the police. NANS national and zonal coordinators also monitored the election.

    Few hours after the convention, Samson issued a statement, rejecting the outcome of the election, declaring himself winner. He was immediately recognised by the government as JCC chairman. Samson’s inauguration as factional JCC chairman was attended by some of Mimiko’s top aides, who read his “goodwill message” on the occasion.

    Reacting to the development, some SUG presidents, who voted during the convention, accused the governor of creating division in the students’ body. They alleged that Mimiko is making effort to plant his stooges in the JCC to hijack the students’ group ahead of the state’s governorship polls.

    They claimed the governor used his Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Youths Matter, Tony Omogbemi and NANS National Vice President Timileyin Ayenuro, who is said to be a card-carrying member of the PDP, to destabilise the Ondo JCC and drag the body into politics.

    A SUG president, who pleaded not to be named, said: “A convention that was conducted peacefully ended in a crisis because of Mimiko’s wish to hijack the body for selfish political gains. Before the world, Anthony was elected as JCC chairman in a free and fair process, but Ondo State government, through its SSA on Youth Matters and NANS Vice President, created another faction for reasons we cannot fathom.

    “We have voted for our choice and we don’t expect Mimiko to destabilise our body because of his selfish political interest. There is no need for playing game that will throw the state into a crisis. We still don’t know why a sane government would identify with somebody that had two votes against another, who had five votes? Are they saying two is greater than five?”

    Another delegate, who also pleaded anonymity, said Omogbemi called the SUG presidents for a meeting, where he promised them “handsome reward” if they voted Samson. “We were called before the convention by the SSA to vote for Samson Falegan. He promised us handsome rewards if we did so, but we rejected the offer and told him the association is for students and not politicians,” the delegate said.

    A former Special Assistant on Students’ Matters to Ondo Government, Mr Olumuyiwa Asagunla, blamed students for the problem. According to Asagunla, the JCC  lost its credibility when it started to look up to the governor for handouts.

    He said: “Why would NANS write to Ondo State government that it wanted to hold its convention? What is the business of the government with who becomes the chairman of JCC? Since the students wrote to the government, Mimiko will naturally have interest in who becomes the chairman. NANS ought to be a pressure group and not a government stooge.”

    Asagunla said Anthony should be recognised as the authentic chairman of the Ondo JCC. He cautioned the government against causing crisis in the students’ body, saying: “NANS must be insulated from politics.”

    Speaking with CAMPUSLIFE, Anthony said he did not know the reason for the division, maintaining that he did not belong to any political party.

    He said: “I won the election with five of the nine votes from the delegates. But, they alleged that I am an All Progressives Congress (APC) member, but I told the concerned parties in the government that I have never joined any political party. They later told me that they wanted Samson, because he is a loyal PDP member.”

    Anthony accused Ayenuro of being Mimiko’s mole in NANS, alleging that NANS Vice President had always wanted to sell the association to the PDP.

    Samson said he won the election, urging the public to disregard the faction led by Anthony. He denied being a stooge of the governor and dismissed the allegation that he belongs to the PDP.

    He said: “I am for the students’ interests and will not be intimated by accusation from losers. The enemies of progress said that I am not the legitimate chairman of NANS JCC in Ondo State and that, I did not win the election. The misinformation is malicious and a figment of the losers’ imagination. I wish to state categorically that I won the election.”

    Ayenuro said he was not ready to comment on the allegations against him when our reporter spoke with him.

    He simply said: “Consultations are ongoing to resolve the crisis.”

    Contacted on telephone, Omogbemi described the accusation as baseless. He said the government did not recognise anyone as the JCC chairman.

    He said: “We have not identified with any faction for now. Nobody has come to my office or met with Governor Mimiko to say he is JCC chairman. It was only the former chairman who came to my office before their convention.”

    Omogbemi denied that the government had a preferred candidate, saying: “It is not true. I think you should call the SUG presidents to know who they voted for and do your calculation.”

    The outgoing chairman, Odunayo Kalusa, called on the NANS President, Tijani Usman, to call Ayenuro to order. He said: “Ayenuro should stop betraying the interest of the students for his personal purse. He should stop acting like a kid. The JCC convention has been conducted and nobody can reverse it. Anthony Atolusi remains the recognised JCC chairman in Ondo axis and Samson Falegan should stop parading himself as chairman.”

  • Retired judges sue Mimiko

    Retired judges sue Mimiko

    Some retired judges in Ondo State have sued Governor Olusegun Mimiko, the State Pension Board and the Attorney-General, Eyitayo Jegede (SAN) for allegedly refusing to pay their retirement benefits and pension since 2007.

    The judges urged the National Industrial Court (NIC) to direct the defendants to pay them upward review by 96 per cent of their monthly pension from February 2007 in line with circulars issued in 2010 and 2015 by the National Judicial Council (NJC).

    They listed some of the retirement benefits as accommodation, four official domestic staff, medical care, and serviceable vehicles, among others.

    In a suit by their counsel, Prince Adetoye Ojopagogo, the claimants also sought an order compelling the government and its officials to review and harmonise their pension benefits every five years from 2000 till date in conformity with Section 210 (2 and 3) of the 1999 Constitution.

    Retired Justice Adeyemo Afonja lamented that six of his colleagues, including the late Justice Rasheed Fawehinmi, have died while waiting to receive their benefits.

    Justice Afonja said they took the matter to court since all appeals to Mimiko had failed, including sending some monarchs and eminent indigenes to beg him.

  • ‘Bello’s decision to copy Mimiko beginning of failure’

    ‘Bello’s decision to copy Mimiko beginning of failure’

    Kogi State government’s delegation to Ondo State to copy the Governor Olusegun Mimiko administration has attracted criticism from the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The party’s chapter in Ondo State said Governor Yahaya Bello was emulating a failed administration.

    A statement yesterday by the Publicity Secretary, Omo’ba Abayomi Adesanya, reads: “Our attention has been drawn to the ill-visit by the Kogi State government team, led by the Secretary to the State Government, Mrs. Folashade Arike Ayoade, to study what Governor Bello described as ‘impressive feats of development in infrastructure, health education, new ventures – job creation and prudent fiscal management’ under the administration of Dr. Olusegun Mimiko.

    “Our question to Governor Bello is what does he really want to emulate from Governor Mimiko?

    “Is it the eradication of Owena Motels (a legacy) built by the former governor, the late Pa Adekunle Ajasin, which has been converted for the benefit of Mimiko and his cohorts?

    “Or the building of an event centre popularly called ‘dome’, of which he has wasted N10 billion of the people’s money without benefit for the masses?

    “Or the over-hyped and valueless residency card, called ‘Card Igbe Ayo’, which he squandered over N4 billion of tax payers’ money on with no commensurate benefit?

    “May be it’s the 10 mega schools Dr. Mimiko built at the cost of N600 million each. A project that is not meant to serve the interest of the common man or the state, but that of the contractor, reasons best known to the governor.

    “It’s irrational for one mega school to serve the interest of one local government, while other schools in the rural areas are in a dilapidated condition.

    “Let Kogi people and Nigerians ask Governor Bello if he wants to plant 100 flowers at the cost of N300 million annually as Mimiko did in Ondo.

    “Is it the so-called cocoa revolution that has gulped a whopping N5 billion in the last four years without any visible cocoa farm in any location across Ondo State that the Kogi government wants to copy?

    “We are not so sure may be Bello is planning to abandon the bad roads in Kogi as his new-found friend, Mimiko, did in Ondo (especially Akoko roads).

    “We ask Governor Bello, may be it is the debt profile of the Mimiko administration of over N130 billion that he wants to incur for Kogi people?

    “The visit of the Kogi team is being celebrated by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on the pages of newspapers and in the social media as an endorsement by the APC governor, thereby portraying the party in the state in bad light.

    “Any loyal APC governor interested in the well-being of his people and seeking help or the right mentor should go to Lagos, Ogun, Kano, Edo among other APC-governed-states to study their Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) system to expand the revenue base and meet the people’s expectations, not a state like Ondo under Mimiko, who has not paid workers’ salary and has turned governance into a family business.”

     

  • Mimiko swears in council chairmen

    Mimiko swears in council chairmen

    Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko yesterday swore-in the 18 newly elected council chairmen.

    The chairmen are all of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Mimiko said the local government election was conducted based on the judgment of the Akure division of the Court of Appeal, which struck out the application of the All Progressives Congress (APC) seeking to stop the election.

    He said: “The delay in the conduct of the election was due to the fall-out of the protracted legal issues between the chairmen of the past administration on one hand and our administration on the other.

    “You will recall that following the dissolution of the local government council in February 2009, the 18 chairmen instituted an action in the High Court of Ondo State seeking reinstatement.”

    The governor said four sets of caretaker committees have been appointed to pilot the affairs of the local governments, since his administration was inaugurated.

    He lauded the State Independent Electoral Commission (ODIEC) for conducting a free, fair and credible election.

     

  • Ondo 2016: Mimiko in fresh dilemma over succesion

    Ondo 2016: Mimiko in fresh dilemma over succesion

    Governor Olusegun Mimiko’s openness over his choice of a successor has been a subject of controversy and unease in his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). What many do not know is the dilemma the outgoing Ondo State governor is currently facing as a result of his choice, reports Associate Editor, Sam Egburonu and Damisi Ojo in Akure

    As stakeholders prepare for this year’s governorship election in Ondo State, there has been prolonged speculation over Governor Olusegun Mimiko’s interest in his successor. While his critics and supporters have been at each other’s neck over the likely implication of his choice on the fortunes of his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), The Nation’s investigation during the week confirmed that Mimiko and his party leaders at the centre are particularly worried at the reaction of his close aides and supporters over his alleged failure to hide his preference before the primaries.

    This is coming on the heels of fresh revelations that Mimiko may have changed his previous preference and like what happened before, earlier this year, his inability to hide his latest preference from other aides and associates interested in the seat has again created serious cracks in the political family.

    In fact, since January this year, when some of his closest aides first got what one of them described as a confirmation that he actually settled for Mr. Eyitayo Jegede, the Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General, things had fallen apart in the once formidable political family in Ondo. Before then, many of Mimiko’s close aides, associates and influential members of his family had touted one of the governor’s confidants, Tokunbo Modupe, as the “undisputed choice to succeed the governor.”

    Expectedly, Jegede’s choice then did not get down well with supporters of Modupe and other close associates of the governor; some of who are also interested in taking over from Mimiko and were alleged to have set up structures across the state to realise their ambitions.

    As members of the political family discreetly accused the governor of betrayal, some sources confided in The Nation then that the governor’s preference of Jegede, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), may have been influenced by a top politician from the North-East whose alleged interest in the 2019 Presidential election was the motivating factor.

    The Nation had therefore reported earlier that part of the deal to impress it on Mimiko to go for Jegede then was a vice presidential offer by the top political leader.

    While Mimiko, going by his actions, accepted the offer, he was inundated by a wave of resistance from most of the members of his kitchen cabinet, who passionately expressed or demonstrated their objection.

    Following this development, Mimiko, The Nation gathered, has recently changed his mind again.  An insider in Mimiko’s political family, who confirmed this recent development, put it this way in a chat on Thursday: “With the spontaneous reaction of most people in the sunshine state here, particularly other PDP aspirants on the earlier rumour that the governor may pick the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Eyitayo Jegede, as his successor, it seems the state’s helmsman has changed his mind again.

    “Some of us, members of the big family, who do not have any personal grudge against Jegede, understand that his candidacy may not be acceptable to other stakeholders. Look, we are talking about being elected the governor of the state by all the electorates. While he may have intimidating credentials as an individual, politics takes other factors into consideration. For example, Jegede’s origin as an indigene of Akure and the fact that he is from the same Ondo Central Senatorial District with Mimiko, are enough reasons to advise the governor and the party to be more sensitive to the feelings of all stakeholders before making a choice. If you ask me, should be given another juicy opportunity instead of making him the party flag bearer since this may cost PDP the state.”

    To confirm the change of mind, another source, a personal aide to the governor, said, “Mimiko has actually changed his mind on Jegede and may likely pick the contractor handling the state government’s Expansive Event Centre, popularly called Dome, Tokunbo Modupe.”

    It would be recalled that before the story about Mimiko’s interest in Jegede, Modupe, a popular public relations’ guru, has been in the picture as the preferred aspirant within the inner cycle of Mimiko’s political family. Said to be very close to Mimiko, Modupe, hails from Ute, in Ose Local Government area of the Northern Senatorial District, where many observers are agitating the next governor after Mimiko should come from.

    This notwithstanding, some insiders said now that the choice of Jegede was sustained in the news for some time and so much resources have already been put in the project, the latest twist may mean more intrigues and disagreement within the political family.

    For example, the Deji of Akure, Oba Ogunlade Aladetoyinbo, has maintained that Akure indigenes will only vote for Akure candidate as governor.

    Is it between Jegede and Modupe?

    Although most reports suggest that Mimiko is particularly burdened with the task of making a choice between his two close loyalists, Modupe and Jegede for the PDP ticket, we gathered that they may be other aspirants that are working hard to grab the ticket. An elder politician in Mimiko’s camp said most of the new aspirants working hard to get the ticket are using the zoning card to convince the leadership. “It will be wrong to assume only Jegede and Modupe would be considered. In fact, the fact that they are the ones most people talk about has thrown up so much issues both within the governors inner cycle of friends and supporters and within the party, that some of us feel, it may be better for PDP to look elsewhere if we hope to withstand the opposition of APC in the coming election.”

    From what the elder said, it appears the area of origin of the would-be-candidate may play a very important part in the final choice for Mimiko’s successor.”

    Considering the growing influence of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, observers say Mimiko and the leadership of PDP are worried and determined to exercise caution in the choice of the party’s ticket. The APC, aware of the resultant disagreement and crack in Mimiko’s camp, is carefully studying the development with the aim of taking advantage of any mistake.

    Our investigation shows that this development has not only heightened the political pulse in the state but has also put Mimiko on a tight corner.

  • ‘Mimiko’s industrial revolution, a fallacy’

    ‘Mimiko’s industrial revolution, a fallacy’

    All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant in Ondo State Mr. Odunayo Akinrinsola has said that Governor Olusegun Mimiko does not have an agenda for the industrialisation of the state.

    Akinrinsola said the governor has not revived or created more industries since the inception of his administration in 2009.

    The aspirant, who spoke to reporters at his campaign office in Akure, the state capital, said the assurances by Mimiko were fake.

    Akinrinsola said he knew what transpired between a foreign company and the state government on the resuscitation of the Oluwa Glass industry, Igbokoda, headquarters of Ilaje local government.

    He said despite the company’s readiness to revive the industry, change the old machines without collecting money from the state, pay their tax and also create jobs for over 3000 people, the government never considered the proposal.

    He said that, on several occasions, the foreign company held meetings with the government, but it refused to give reasons why the company should take over the moribund industry.

    The aspirant said if Mimiko had industrialised the state, he would not be sweating to pay salaries.

    Akinrinsola, however, said his vision is to industrialise the state, thereby creating jobs.

    But, the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Chief Ayo Abiola, said the intention to revive the moribund industries before the end of the year, is to improve the economy.