Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko and his deputy, Alhaji Ali Olanusi, were political allies who floated the Labour Party (LP). As deputy governor, Olanusi lived in the shadows of his principal. But, he is now facing impeachment because of his refusal to defect to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with the governor. Damisi Ojo looks at the frosty relationship between the duo and its implications for the Sunshine State.
They were like siblings when they started their political adventure under the Labour Party (LP), to which sprang up in 2006 in Ondo State.
Governor Olusegun Mimiko and his embattled deputy,Alhaji Ali Olanusi, were partner in progress.
The party came waged ”war of Armageddon” and within few months, it uprooted the so-called biggest party in Africa, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) under the administration of late Dr.Olusegun Agagu.
The LP came, not as a political party, but as a mass movement because citizenry were becoming uncomfortable with the PDP administration, even with the giant strides of Dr. Agagu.
They wanted a new government in place. Mimiko had been eyeing the seat of power at Alagbaka House since the days of the late Adebayo Adefarati.
He was a commissioner under the defunct Alliance for Democracy (AD) administration. At the eleventh hour, he dumped the party and joined the PDP, which terminated the second term bid of Chief Adefarati.
Mimiko aligned with Agagu and he became the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) after serving as the commissioner for Health.
When it was time for the Sunshine State to produce a minister in Abuja, Mimiko was considered and he became the Minister of Housing.
While serving in the federal cabinet, Mimiko was not done with his governorship ambition. He eventually pulled out of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) at the tail end of 2006 and returned to Ondo State to prepare for the April 14, 2007 governorship poll.
Within few months, he garnered support across the state. However, the LP was robbed of its victory at the polls, but 22 months after, and precisely on February 23, 2009, Mimiko was declared the governor by the Appeal Court, Benin City.
However, his victory was not without the backing of Olanusi; a Supare-Akoko born politician.
Olanusi, popularly called “Jasper”, was the Ondo State Chairman of the PDP, who resigned from his crucial position to join LP and worked with Mimiko to the detriment of Dr. Agagu and the PDP.
Another notable politicians, who reinforced the LP’s mass movement, was Senator Boluwaji Kunlere, who abandoned the position of PDP secretary like Olanusi to join Mimiko in his struggle to rule the state.
Kunlere paid dearly for his defection to LP that time. One of his aides who reflected on his ordeals, said that “that he is alive today is by the grace of God”.
A renowned technocrat and former Minister for Education, Dr. Olaiya Oni, joined the train. He was appointed the chairman of LP in Ondo State before he parted ways with Mimiko half way into his first term in office.
After the favourable verdict of the Appeal Court and Mimiko’s inauguration on February 24, 2009, Ali Olanusi was compensated with the position of the Deputy Governor even though some people within the LP were not favourably disposed to Olanusi’s appointment because of age factor and the fact that he came from the same senatorial district with Oni.
However, both Mimiko and Olanusi resumed office with ecstasy in February 2009, but there were certain misgivings on the under-utilization of the deputy governor.
It is generally believed in political circle that the deputy governor is like a spare tyre without any special role to perform.
Since the inception of the administration, sources said there has been no cordial relationship between Mimiko and his deputy.
Olanusi, aside from being a deputy governor, has no other special role like the headship of any committee or agency, unlike what is applicable in the neighboring states where deputy governors still oversee particular ministries or agencies.
Mimiko controls the affairs of the government solely without input of the deputy governor.
This same situation led to the resignation of Oni, who built the Labour Party alongside Mimiko, Olanusi and others to become the government in power.
Before the recent defection of Olanusi, there were rumours in some quarters that he would be forced to resign or impeached by the House of Assembly on health ground.
However, the state government later denied the allegation, stressing that there was no plan to edge him act.
In the past few months, it was learnt that Mimiko and Olanusi have not been operating as a united force.
Government activities have become a one-man show as many observers noted that Olanusi has been rendered redundant.
The frosty relationship became more pronounced with the mandate given by Mimiko to all cabinet members and other top government functionaries to dump the ruling LP and join the PDP he left almost 10 years ago.
Olanusi is not favourably disposed to the directive, considering the fact that there is a fundamental right for individuals to belong to association or political party without being coerced.
The deputy governor, who according to a source, has been romancing with the progressives since last year, decided to dump the PDP three days to the March 28 presidential election.
The development was a rude shock to Mimiko, who served as the Southwest coordinator for Jonathan Campaign Organisation.
The governor was bitter with his deputy for his defection, particularly because of the dismal performance of the PDP during the presidential election in the Southwest.
This development gingered Mimiko’s spontaneous reaction to take his pound of flesh on the action of his deputy.
Sources said he had earlier directed the police commissioner, Isaac Eke, to withdraw Olanusi’s security aides but were restored immediately Gen. Muhammadu Buhari was declared the President-elect
He also allegedly ordered the disconnection of electricity that connected his official quarters at Alagbaka Government House.
Now, the House of Assembly has served the deputy governor an impeachment notice, thereby preparing the ground for his forceful ejection out of government.
Observers are watching the event as it unfolds from now on.
