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Tag: Mimiko

  • Olanusi sues Mimiko for stopping allowances

    Olanusi sues Mimiko for stopping allowances

    Ondo State Deputy Governor Ali Olanusi yesterday sued Governor Olusegun Mimiko for alleged stopping his allowances and benefits.

    Olanusi is seeking an order of the court restraining Mimiko from stopping his allowances and salary of his aides.

    There has been friction between the two top public officers over the defection of the deputy governor from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Olanusi’s counsel Oluwole Kehinde argued that the deputy governor is still constitutionally empowered to enjoy all his allowances and benefits. The governor allegedly gave a directive to stop the salaries and allowances of all political aides of the deputy governor.

    A source said Mimiko took the decision to witch-hunt all those who are loyal to Olanusi because of his defection.

    It was learnt that the governor had given an order to the Commissioner of Police, Isaac Eke, to withdraw all the deputy governor’s security aides and also prevent him from having access to his official vehicles.

    Justice Sanmi Isaq ordered that the respondents should be put on notice.

    He said all the respondents, including Mimiko, Eke and the State Director of the Department of State Security (DSS), should be served with the notice.

    The case has been adjourned till April 23.

  • Boroffice: Mimiko plotting to impeach deputy

    Chairman, Senate Committee on Science and Technology, Robert Boroffice, yesterday accused Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko of plotting to impeach his deputy, Ali Olanusi, for defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Boroffice, in a statement in Abuja, alleged that the governor was harassing his deputy with thugs, a development he added, was putting his life in danger.

    He insisted that Olanusi has the right to defect to any party since Mimiko, who contested on the platform of the Labour Party alongside Olanusi,  had also defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Boroffice said: “As the Asiwaju of Akoko-land, our people have mandated me to warn the governor against frustrating an industrious and highly prominent Akoko man simply because he joined another party.

    “Alhaji Olanusi, who is our dear son, had helped to stabilise the Mimiko administration.

    “We won’t fold our arms and watch the governor frustrate or disgrace him out of office, because he has not done anything wrong.

    “Mimiko should leave our son alone to enjoy the joint ticket he won together with him. We are solidly behind him in Akoko-land.”

  • Mimiko after my life, says deputy

    Mimiko after my life, says deputy

    Protesters yesterday attacked the convoy of Ondo State Deputy Governor Ali Olanusi, blocking his entrance to the Government House.

    His security personnel shot  into the air to disperse the protesters.

    Olanusi defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    It was gathered that as the Supare-Akoko politician was leaving his home town, some youths, carrying placards with inscriptions, such as “Ali must go”; “No way for Olanusi in Government House”; “Olanusi is a traitor” and “Jasper Ali must resign”, blocked his convoy.

    The security personnel attached to the deputy governor shot into the air to scare away the protesters before the convoy could make its way through the road leading to the Government House.

    Residents, who heard the gunshots, ran for cover, thinking it was a robbery.

    Some of the protesters threw stones, water sachets and eggs at the vehicles, hitting one of the vehicles.

    Olanusi, who spoke with reporters, accused Governor Olusegun Mimiko of using suspected political thugs to harass him.

    “It is surprising that a governor is going around with thugs to attack me. You can see things yourself at the roundabout, the thugs he hired there and at the gate there, if I had not come with my convoy, they would have attacked me.

    “I call on the assistant inspector general and the inspector general of Police to protect me. They should provide me with more mobile policemen. I am ready to resume duty as the elected deputy governor.

    “Nobody has told me to resign. If they are talking about impeachment they should go about it in a lawful way, not that they should use thugs to attack me.

    “They should realise that as Mimiko was elected, I Ali Olanusi, was equally elected. He cannot be chasing me with thugs.”

    Speaking in an interview on a private radio station, Olanusi said some  hoodlums have been trailing him.

    He urged the people to tell Mimiko to spare his life.

    But the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr Eni Akinsola, denied that political thugs were used to harass the deputy governor.

    He said some people were trying to reverse the peace trend the state had been enjoying in the last six years.

    According to him, Olanusi came to the town shooting into the air and it was aggrieved residents, who protested against the deputy governor.

    Akinsola said people should accept democracy as a normal way of life, accept when their calculation go wrong and accept defeat.

    The Nation gathered that electricity to the deputy governor’s official quarters has been disconnected.

    Besides,the monthly salaries of his aides have been stopped.

     

  • Mimiko warns Ondo REC

    Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko has warned the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Segun Agbaje, not to tamper with the results that gave victory to the two candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in last Saturday’s House of Assembly election in Ilaje Local Government.

    Contrary to the earlier declaration by the Returning officers that the PDP candidates won, Agbaje announced at a briefing on Sunday that the results were yet to be ratified by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja.

    The governor said the REC lacked the power to tamper with the results of the election that gave victory to the PDP candidates, adding that whoever is uncomfortable with the outcome, should go to the tribunal.

    “As far as we are concerned, strictly in compliance with the Electoral Act, results were collated for Ilaje constituencies 1 and 2. The results were declared and result sheets signed by the appropriate Returning officers. As far as we know, there is nothing inconclusive about the election.

    “We don’t know anything about inconclusiveness, the election was concluded.”

     

  • APC: Mimiko training, arming thugs to disrupt election

    APC: Mimiko training, arming thugs to disrupt election

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has alerted security agencies to moves by Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko to disrupt tomorrow’s elections in the Southwest.

    A statement by APC’s National Publicity Secretary Lai Mohammed in Lagos yesterday , said the governor met with the thugs at Oshodi-Isolo in Akure and Iro in Akure South Local Government, allegedly giving them N350 million.

    The statement reads: ‘’The strategy is to deploy these thugs to various parts of the Southwest with the instruction to violently disrupt elections through sporadic shootings and stealing of ballot boxes.

    “This is the governor’s answer to the massive shellacking he received from the electorate during the March 28 elections.

    ‘’The fear of the thugs has sent many APC leaders, who have been targeted for attack, scampering for safety. Some have gone underground; others have relocated either from Ondo State or from the region.

    “There is also the report circulating in Ondo State that the governor has deployed thugs in every polling unit to cut off the hands of anyone, who is suspected to have voted for the APC during the elections.

    “These developments do not augur well for free, fair and peaceful elections, hence the need for security agents to face the challenge posed by the hired thugs.

    “The thugs have started unleashing violence, killing one person at a rally in  Igbara-Oke in Ifedore Local Government on Wednesday.

    ‘’Since his embarrassing loss at the March 28 elections, Governor Mimiko has almost become maniacal; hence his resort to the training and arming of thugs, many of whom will don fake police and army uniforms to disrupt tomorrow’s elections throughout the Southwest, especially in the state.

    ‘’It is important to alert the sponsors of terror and electoral malfeasance that whether or not they have immunity from prosecution, ultimately they will be made to face the law to account for their unbridled penchant for violence.’’

    The APC called on its members and supporters to be vigilant and ensure they document all cases of brigandage and rigging across the region.

    The party urged local and international observers to pay attention to the conduct of the elections in the region, as well as in other flash points, such as Rivers.

    But the PDP dismissed the APC’s claim.

    It said the APC was merely crying wolf for fear of imminent defeat .

    Its National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, said “the false alert by the APC is part of its plot to heighten tension in the zone and scare away voters from exercising their franchise having realised that the wind of change blowing in the region will sweep them away tomorrow.

    ”This latest false alert is in continuation of APC’s desperation,.

    “Such antics would not save the APCas Southwest voters have made up their minds to support the PDP.”

  • Mimiko in last-minute campaign

    Mimiko in last-minute campaign

    Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko and other Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders have intensified efforts to ensure the party’s victory in tomorrow’s House of Assembly election.

    The efforts by Mimiko and other party leaders were aimed at ensuring that the PDP dominated the House of Assembly.

    But with the defection of many PDP leaders, including its 2012 governorship candidate, Chief Olusola Oke and many others from the Southern District, it might not be a walkover for Mimiko as usual.

    The governor, it was gathered, met with his loyalists and supporters on how to ensure that the party wins.

    Mimiko and some members of his exco, including contestants for the House of Assembly election, engaged in intensive campaigns.

    It was gathered that the governor is not taking chances, as he wants PDP to control the House.

    But for now the old PDP members have left the party for the APC to join forces and defeat Mimiko.

    It was observed those in the present PDP are members of the old Labour Party (LP), who accompanied Mimiko to PDP and are loyal to him.

  • Mimiko, Ondo APC in supremacy battle over Assembly polls

    Mimiko, Ondo APC in supremacy battle over Assembly polls

    Ondo state Governor, Olusegun Mimiko and other leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state have engaged in an intensive effort to ensure the victory of the party in tomorrow House of Assembly election in the state.

    The PDP lost in the last Presidential election in the state, hence the rigorous efforts by the Governor to ensure that the party wins majority of the seats in the state House of Assembly in the forthcoming election.

    Efforts by Mimiko and other leaders of the party in the state were aimed at ensuring that the PDP dominated the House of Assembly to produce Speaker of the House.

    However, with the defection of many PDP leaders including its 2012 governorship candidate, Chief Olusola Oke and many others from the Southern District, might not be easy task for Mimiko as usual.

    The Governor, it was gathered had met with his loyalists and supporters across the state on how to ensure that the party wins overwhelmingly in the Saturday’s election.

    Also, Mimiko and some members of his cabinet including contestants for the House of Assembly election had engaged in intensive campaign ahead of the election.

    It was learnt that Mimiko had also embarked on grassroots campaign in order to gain the hearts of the people of the grassroots ahead of the election, but many are said not to be favourably disposed to his style of politics.

    Already, the state House of Assembly is being controlled by the PDP, but the Governor is said to be worried by the outcome of the last Presidential election in the state, hence the last minute campaign across the state.

    It was gathered that the Governor is not giving any chance to the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) to take over the leadership of the House, as he still has almost two years to spend in office as the Governor of the state.

    But, for now the original owners of PDP in the state have left the party for the APC with a view to join forces and defeat Mimiko in the election.

    It was observed those in the present PDP are members of the old Labour Party (LP) who accompanied Mimiko to PDP and still loyal to him.

  • Ondo PDP gives Mimiko conditions

    Ondo PDP gives Mimiko conditions

    Ahead of Saturday’s  House of Assembly election in Ondo State, some aggrieved and old members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have set up a 25-man committee to meet with Governor Olusegun Mimiko and table the conditions for which they can  work for the success of the party’s candidates.

    The old members  arrived at the conditions at a meeting at the  Secretariat in Owo Local Government.

    They want Mimiko to involve them in all activities of the party, give them separate mobilisation funds  and he must deal directly with members of the committee.

    The meeting, chaired by  Hon. Femi Adekanmbi blamed the  party’s woeful performance in the last Presidential and National Assembly polls on imposition of candidates by Mimiko.

    He noted that during the process  leading to the elections, old members were marginalised. They were not  mobilised with  fund.

    Adekanmbi said: “We took some resolutions in the meeting, some said we should go and join APC, others said we should remain in PDP and give the governor conditions that he must recognise old PDP and a committee has been set up to meet with the governor and come out with decisions on the way forward.

    “We are going to inform the governor personally that if he wants us to remain in PDP, the old members must be respected and carry along in all activities of the party. The people also said they must be mobilised with fund separately from that of new members and that if the governor wants his candidates to win, he  must not deal with anybody except the committee set up by them.

    “If the governor fails to meet the conditions given, he should be expecting another woeful performance from the party. As at now, series of meetings are going on by leaders of old PDP members in the state, but someone like me, I refused to attend but I prefer to hold a meeting with my people in my primary constituency which is Owo and Ose.

    “It is unfortunate that Governor Mimiko allowed things to degenerate to this level. But he has realised this issue but what do we do, we must move on. I pray things can still be redeemable, otherwise, I have my fear. Imposition of candidate caused Jonathan the chance to lose Owo, take for instance in Owo, he went to impose somebody that was not popular.“

    “They pleaded to him that he should change the candidates but he insisted that he will win and I think the people showed to Mimiko that he is not God. Imposition of candidate and the other one is finance, these are the things that work against PDP. Nobody among the old has money to work with. They only used the token I gave them and the one from senator Bode Olajumoke which was his own personal money to work on that day.

    “It is so sad that how can President Goodluck Jonathan brought billions of naira to Ondo State and old PDP in Owo and Ose do not have a dame from the money. It was only the new PDP who sat on them and no one naira was disbursed for the old PDP members. So that was where the failure came from. If the governor can fulfill the condition fine, but if not, the APC here we come”

     

  • April 11 Poll: Ondo PDP gives Mimiko condition

    April 11 Poll: Ondo PDP gives Mimiko condition

    Ahead of this Saturday state house of assembly and governorship elections in Ondo state, Some aggrieved members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have set up a 25-man committee to meet with governor Olusegun Mimiko and table the conditions on which they can only work for the success of the PDP candidates in the election.

    The members, mainly the old PDP in the state arrived at the conditions at a meeting at the party Secretariat in Owo local government.

    ‎The old PDP wants Mimiko to involve them in all activities of the party, give them separate mobilization funds for the coming elections and he must deal directly with members of the committee they set up.

    In the meeting chaired by a Chieftain of the party, Hon. Femi Adekanmbi blamed the woeful performance of the party in the last Presidential and National Assembly Polls on imposition of candidates by Mimiko.

    He noted that during the process of the elections, old members of the party were marginalised in all aspect most especially in the mobilization of fund sent to the state.

    Adekanmbi said “We took some resolutions in the meeting, some said we should go and join APC, others said we should remain in PDP and give the governor conditions that he must recognized old PDP and a committee has been set up to meet with the governor and come out with decisions on the way forward latest by Tuesday.

    “We are going to inform the governor personally that if he wants us to remain in PDP, the old members must be respected and carried along in all activities of the party. The people also said they must be Mobilised with fund separately from that of new members and that if the governor wants his candidates to win, he not must not deal with anybody except the committee set up by them.

    “If the governor fails to meet the conditions given, he should be expecting another woeful performance from the party. As at now, series of meetings are going on by leaders of old PDP members in the State but someone like me, I refused to attend but I preferred to hold a meeting with my people in my primary constituency which is Owo and Ose.

    “It is unfortunate that governor Mimiko allowed thing to degenerate to this level. We must move on. I pray things can still be redeemable, otherwise, I have my fear. Imposition of candidates caused Jonathan the chance to lose Owo, take for instance in Owo, he went to impose somebody that was not popular.

    “They pleaded to him that he should change the candidates but he insisted that he will win and I think the people showed to Mimiko that he is not God. Imposition of candidate and the other one is finance, these are the things that worked against PDP. Nobody among the old has money to work with. They only used the token I gave them and the one from senator Bode Olajumoke which was his own personal money to work on that day.

    “It is so sad that President Goodluck Jonathan brought billions of naira to Ondo State and old PDP in Owo and Ose do not have a dime from the money. It was only the new PDP who sat on them and no one naira was disbursed for the old PDP members. So that was where the failure came from. If the governor can fulfill the condition fine, but if not, the APC here we come.”

  • Aliyu, Mimiko, Fayose, others shun meeting with Jonathan

    Aliyu, Mimiko, Fayose, others shun meeting with Jonathan

    GOVERNORS Aliyu Babangida (Niger), Olusegun Mimiko (Ondo), Sule Lamido (Jigawa), Ibrahim Shema (Katsina) and Ayodele Fayose (Ekiti) yesterday shunned a meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum with President Goodluck Jonathan.

    The forum’s chairman and Akwa Ibom State Governor, Godswill Akpabio, said some of the PDP gover?nors could not make it to the meeting because the notice was short.

    Among the PDP  governors who met with Jonathan were Theodore Orji (Abia); Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa) and Liyel Imoke (Cross River).

    Idris Wada (Kogi); Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta); Martin Elechi (Ebonyi); Ibrahim Dankwambo (Gombe); Murktar Yero (Kaduna); Jonah Jang (Plateau); and Sullivan Chime (Enugu) attended the meeting.

    Speaking with State House correspondents after meeting, Akpabio maintained that the party will not lose any of its states during April 11 governorship elections.

    The party lost the presidential election last Saturday to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Akpabio praised Jonathan for sacrificing his political ambition for the sake of Nigeria.

    According to him, Jonathan has set a statesmanly record in Africa by conceding victory to the opposition despite alleged flaws in the election.

    He reiterated the party’s position that it would explore possible legal options in seeking redress over the anomalies observed during the election.

    Akpabio also said the PDP was glad to have piloted the affairs of the country for the past 16 years and giving Nigeria a very peaceful transition that had shocked all and sundry.

    The governor also dismissed reports that the PDP National Chairman, Adamu Muazu, had resigned his appointment.

    He said that he spoke with Muazu 30 minutes earlier and nothing of such had happened.