This report affirms the strong rumours that the embattled Governor of Ondo State, Olusegun Mimiko could be pitching his tent with the ruling APC as the PDP political strength and influence in Ondo wanes.
Governor Olusegun Mimiko
Following the replacement of the name of Nigerian billionaire, Jimoh Ibrahim (Ali Modu Sheriff PDP camp) with that of Governor Olusegun Mimiko's purported stooge - Eyitayo Jegede (Ahmed Makarfi camp) by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mimiko is reportedly seeking an alliance with the All Progressives Congress.
According to the newspaper, If the report emanating from last Friday’s visit by the Ondo State, Olusegun Mimiko, to President Muhammadu Buhari is anything to go by, the former has perfected plans to defect from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
It should be noted that Mimiko was reported to have arranged an emergency meeting with Buhari to seek the intervention of the President in the controversial decision by INEC which according to him could lead to a break down of law and order in the Sunshine State.
The announcement of the decision by INEC had culminated in protest actions like blocking of major roads in Ondo and burning of tyres by miscreants alleged to have been rented by the Governor to mount pressure on Buhari.
However, beyond the security factor which Mimiko claimed to have discussed with Buhari, a source close to the Governor hinted that he sought audience with President Buhari instead of an earlier arrangement he had with the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, for ‘peculiar reasons’.
‘’We were actually discussing with the candidate, but you know this is an intricate issue, that we need to encourage him to seek audience directly with the president instead of Akeredolu for some peculiar reasons that have to do with trust and mutual respect.
‘’This is politics; we have decided to make the president understand that his party needs us to defeat the AD (Alliance for Democracy) candidate who is heavily funded from Lagos. But how, when? That is the issue.
“Certain things have to be tabled for discussions and commitments extracted, but, in a matter of days, events will unfold as to where exactly. They may not like it, but that is the truth. We have held very fruitful discussions with the president and we are confident that he understood our position,’’ he said
Mimiko, after the meeting said the president had promised to look into it and that if there is any injustice, it would be rectified.