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There are indications that the former governor of Ondo State, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, may have agreed to join forces with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the next Saturday House of Assembly election in the state.
Mimiko was said to have directed his foot soldiers across the state to mobilise and work for the APC in the election to ensure victory for governor Akeredolu in the election.
A source and an aide to the former governor who spoke to Tribune Online on condition of anonymity, disclosed that the state governor, Akeredolu, had approached Mimiko, in company of the Ekiti counterpart Kayode Fayemi and former Social Democratic Party (SDP) governorship candidate in Osun State, Iyiola Omisore to work and join APC.
The source said the trio were able to convince Mimiko who assured them of his support in the next Saturday’s election but never agreed to join the APC, but however, said Mimiko might weigh the option of joining APC from his Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) after the election.
The source said, “The party is formally seeking the support of Mimiko and his ZLP structure across the state so as to come victorious in Saturday’s State House of Assembly election.”
“Consequent upon this interaction, Akeredolu has been consulting with APC faithful across the state for seamless collaboration.
He said “you will recall Mimiko was in this same shoe in 2015 whereby the state lost the presidential election to the APC but through some strategic moves, his party was able to win 21 out of 26 assembly seats 2 weeks after.
“This experience is what the party needs at this point in time and we have approached him to team up with us.”
Reacting to the development, the media aide to the former governor, John Paul Akinduro, said Mimiko remained in the ZLP despite some entreaties from politicians in and outside the state.
Akinduro said “Mimiko remains in ZLP but entreaties have been made to him to work with the APC for the Saturday state assembly elections. This is to help keep the government of Ondo State relatively stable and rancour-free.
“Mimiko may work with the APC to keep the government of Ondo State relatively stable for the next two years”.
But Tribune Online gathered that Mimiko and his party will field candidates in some constituencies in Saturday’s election but may support the APC in other constituencies. The source said
“In the interim, Mimiko and his party will field candidates in some constituencies in Saturday’s election leaving his members to work with the APC in other constituencies depending on the final arrangement Ondo state is one of the states that will not be holding governorship election in 2019.
