Ahead of next year’s governorship poll in Ondo State, prominent Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftains and associates of Governor Olusegun Mimiko have defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC). What does this portends for the ruling party? EMMANUEL OLADESU examines the politics of defection and how the two parties are warning up for the election.
•Mimiko’s associates desert PDP
Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko will bow out of office next year. Ahead of the governorship poll, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC) gladiators have returned to the drawing board. The two parties are on the popularity weighing scale. Will the PDP retain power in the Sunshine State? Will the APC pull the rug off the feet of the ruling party?
Recent events in the state may be a pointer to what is likely to happen during the election. The ruling party is going through a moment of storm and stress. Prominent chieftains and associates of the governor are deserting the party. However, the APC is also grappling with crisis. Its governorship aspirants are erecting personal structures for the actualisation of their governorship dreams, instead of collectively building the party. Since many people expect power to shift from the PDP to the opposition party, there is mass defection to the APC. Sources said that, apart from Eyitayo Jegde, who is said to be eyeing the governorship in the PDP, party members are waiting for the governor’s directive on the way forward. To that extent, there is a sort of imaginary cohesion in the ruling party. But, in the APC, it is a rancorous race. The aspirants include Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu, Senator Ajayi Boroffice, Senator Tayo Alasoadura, Hon. Segun Abraham, former House of Representatives member Hon. Ife Abegunde,former Speaker of House of Assembly hon. Victor Olabimtan, Foluso Adefemi, Oyewole Akinrinsola, Hon. Niran Sule Akinsuyi, Chief Jamiu Ekungba, Chief Olusola Oke, Dr. Paul Akintelure and Olakunle Osunyikanmi.
The PDP’s rank has been depleted, following the defection of Dr. Osunyikanmi, former Commissioner for Education and Director-General of the Technical Aids Corps (TAC) and Senator Ayo Akinyelure, who represented the Ondo Central District, to the APC. Party insiders believe that their defection is a blow to the governor. The two politicians were the main pillars of the old Labour Party (LP) in their respective local councils. Osunyikanmi is from Ile-Oluji/Oke-Igbo while Akinyelure is from Idanre.
Their defection trailed the exit of former Deputy Governor Ali Olanusi, Chief Segun Ojo, one-time Commissioner for Finance, and former Special Duties Commissioner Hon. Niran Sule-Akinsuyo from Mimiko’s camp.
In 2007,
Mimiko had leaned on the LP to defeat the PDP government of the late Dr. Olusegun Agagu. But, last year, he left the party for the PDP.
According to PDP stakeholders, the defection of Osunyikanmi, who is a close associate of the governor, is generating ripples. Many see him as an asset to the PDP. The former Special Adviser to former President Goodluck Jonathan on Foreign Affairs left the party with some members of the governor’s inner caucus.
A PDP chieftain, who expressed concern over the storm in the party, said: “I don’t know how we are going to cope with the expected mass defection that is most likely to follow this development. Even, some of our prominent leaders are planning to leave the party because of this. It is unfortunate that the mismanagement of success has made us to lose face in the public arena. But, we are going to control the fallouts of this, especially as it concerns Osunyikanmi, one of our strongest leaders.”
However, to some PDP leaders, the defection was in bad faith. “It is a manifestation of disloyalty in the party. Their departure will not affect the fortune of the PDP during the election,” said a chieftain.
Akinyelure and Osunyikanmi gave reasons for defecting to the APC. They said they were responding to the people’s yearning for change under the Buhari administration, adding that the APC is the only vehicle of that change.
In a joint statement titled: “Our Journey of Change Begins, “ they repudiated the PDP, saying that it cannot take Ondo State to a prosperous future. They added: “We are most delighted to announce our formal declaration for the All Progressives Congress, APC in Ondo State. This declaration, which has ignited the fire of passionate endorsements across the state, followed our historic disengagement from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
“Our decision was taken after several months of wide consultations with our esteemed leaders, constructive constituents, fervent followers and very distinguished admirers from the length and breadth of Ondo State.
“The mood in Ondo State, as clearly expressed in the last general election, shows that the people truly want a change. In spite of the fact that we have a PDP government in the state, our people voted massively for President Mohammadu Buhari of the APC. That situation has not changed. In fact, the calls for total change at all levels of governance in the state are getting more stringent due to the failure of the PDP-led state government to deliver democracy dividends to the people.
“As progressive politicians with track records in people’s welfare and empowerment, we cannot but identify with a political platform that is poised to change Nigeria for good. Therefore, our decision to align with other genuine progressives in the APC is hinged on the need to engender good governance in our state, put the state in the mainstream of national politics and foster regional integration which has long been frustrated by the current selfish and egocentric leadership in Ondo State.
As the Director-General of the Directorate of Technical Aids Corps (TAC), an agency of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in charge of providing manpower assistance for developing ACP (African, Caribbean and Pacific) countries by recruiting qualified Nigerians and posting them to those countries, Osunyikanmi has used that position to engage a lot of young people from Ondo State.
In 1999, he was the Personal Assistant to Mimiko, the then Commissioner for Health under the Adefarati administration. When Mimiko became the Secretary to Government under Agagu administration, and later, Minister of Housing and Urban Development, he retained his position as Personal Assistant. In the days of tribulation when Mimiko was struggling to retrieve his stolen mandate, he was a pillar of support. The governor appointed him as Special Adviser on Multi-lateral Agencies, and later, Commissioner for Education.
A grassroots politician, since his foray into politics, Osunyikanmi has not lost any election in Ile-Oluji/Oke-Igbo axis. He said he parted ways with Mimiko ‘on matters of principle,” adding that the administration has not justified the confidence reposed in it by the people.
The APC is also enlarging its coast in Idanre, the home town of Senator Akinyelure, a chartered accountant, tax practitioner and grassroots politician. He alleged that he was lured into the PDP. He also alleged that the governor has been playing a politics of exclusion. Urging his people to shine their eyes, he said the governor has derailed from the original vision that made him popular. “People were hailing the governor as iroko. That was yesterday. but, today, there is nothing like iroko again because they are not happy with him. I told him to reconcile with the people, but he never headed my advice,” he said.
Akinsuyi also said that he parted ways with Mimiko on a point of principle. “I have been a progressive politician throughout. We were together in the AD. We were together in the LP. But, there is no way I can go back to the PDP with him,” he told reporters in Lagos.
The major defectors, apart from Olanusi, have one thing in common. They are itching to succeed Mimiko in next year’s election. The challenge fo the APC is how to manage success and prevent the damage that can be done to the platform by the conflicts of ambitions.
