Members of the Labor Party (LP) and
Peoples Democratic Party in Ondo State remain gripped by uncertainty and
anxiety over the reported plans by the state governor, Olusegun Mimiko,
to defect to the PDP. The governor’s defection saga has already created a split between some
key leaders of the PDP in the state. Many party members suspect that the
governor, who is seen as a “lone ranger” and “control freak”, may have
his eyes on seizing control of the state chapter of the PDP. Continue...
Several sources within the PDP said members have held a series of
meetings since Saturday to strategize about ways of resisting Mr.
Mimiko’s dominance over them. A source told SaharaReporters that one of
the meetings was held on Sunday at a hotel in the Alagbaka area
of Akure. “Some of those at the meeting resolved to welcome Mimiko back
to the PDP camp, but some disagreed totally with the idea,” said the
source. He explained that those opposed to Mr. Mimiko’s impending
defection feared that the governor might victimize some of his perceived
enemies in the PDP.
“Our fear is that, if Mimiko finally decamps officially to the party,
he might take absolute control of its running while many of his critics
when he was in the Labor Party might be victimized,” said a
source who attended the meeting.
The source added: “We are still consulting and have reached out to
our members at the ward and local levels to call for an emergency
meeting over the issue. We must definitely consider their
opinions [about Mimiko’s defection] before reaching a logical
conclusion.”
Another key figure of the PDP in Ondo State said that some members
were concerned that Governor Mimiko was arranging his defection at the
“national level, without officially notifying us at the state level.”
Even so, the source declared the defection drama as “a game of
politics”, adding, “Mimiko is not a stranger to us. In politics you
should be expecting the sudden and prepared for the unexpected. Only
those who do not know the music of politics are crying foul.”
According to the source, “Mimiko is free to come back into his old house and no one has the right to block him.”
Despite the misgivings of some members, most party leaders stated
that Mr. Mimiko’s defection to the PDP would be a big win, with one
figure declaring the governor “a big catch any day.”
Another party figure said the governor’s imminent defection was
fitting since the PDP had offered him solid support during his run
for re-election. “It’s more of a long overdue move,” said the source.
“There was an agreement reached between the governor and the PDP that
we would work for his second term only if he would decamp in [a] few
months,” said the source. He added: “He has been working for PDP and
representing its interest at the national level. It’s no more in doubt
that he is fully back where he belongs. He just has to join the group of
canvassers for President Jonathan’s re-election campaign ahead of the
2015 elections.”
Meanwhile, many state officials of the Labor Party appear left out in
the cold as a result of the governor’s all but certain defection. A
long-time party loyalist told SaharaReporters that Mr. Mimiko’s
defection would be an act of betrayal, recalling that PDP members had
waged a relentless political battle against the governor.
With the 2015 general elections drawing closer, many candidates vying
for various positions under the platform of the LP have already printed
and pasted their posters in different parts of the state. Some of them
even included the image of the governor on their campaign posters, an
action that would leave them in a bind once the governor defects.
Several LP members of the State House of Assembly reportedly
intend to follow the governor’s example by defecting to the PDP as well.
However, a source in the state told SaharaReporters that officials
of the All Progressives Congress (APC) were working hard to woo some of
the state legislators to their fold.
“Some of the [law makers] have agreed to meet at a secret venue to
make their personal and final decision known before the end of this
month,” one source among the legislators stated.
“Some of us [legislators] might change our minds and declare for APC.
Our main problem is the governor. Since he has concluded
arrangements to decamp to his old party, he might give us a tough
time,” said one of the lawmakers.
A press release issued on Sunday by the state chapter of
the APC stated that Mr. Mimiko’s defection to PDP was not a surprise.
The APC declared that the governor’s defection would not help the PDP
to win any elections.
The release, signed by the APC’s publicity
secretary, Abayomi Adesanya, also stated that Mr. Mimiko was only
joining the PDP to help President Goodluck Jonathan win the PDP
presidential primaries, stressing that the APC was willing to open its
door to any credible individuals.
“Our doors are open for credible individuals that are still in the
Labor Party especially the House of Assembly members to join. Our doors
are also open to the serving commissioners and also PDP members
that would not be comfortable with Mimiko joining the PDP because of his
political antecedents,” the APC stated.
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