Governor of Ondo State, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko
By Onyebuchi Ezigbo and James Sowole
Governor of Ondo State, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, has urged President Goodluck Jonathan and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to replicate the feat exhibited during the last governorship election in Edo State in the October 20 elections in the state.
The call by the governor came just as the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the Labour Party (LP) formally endorsed his candidature for the Ondo governorship contest.
Equally, the former governorship aspirant on the platform of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in the state, Dr. Olu Agunloye, has said the party cannot make any impact during the election slated for October 20 in the state.
Mimiko, who spoke shortly after attending the NEC meeting of the LP in Abuja, appealed to President Jonathan to ensure that governorship election guarantees one man, one vote and that the votes of the electorates are made to count just as was experienced in Edo State.
“I commend Mr. President for ensuring a free and fair elections in Edo State. However, the President and INEC should try to replicate the same in Ondo State and also make effort to improve on its performance in the 2015 general elections,” he said.
Mimiko, while commending Jonathan over his firm commitment on free and fair elections in country, said the Labour party in Ondo State would support the INEC in an effort to make the October governorship contest is rancour-free.
“I am physically and physiologically prepared for the election and like I said, the work we have on ground will speak for us. We are looking forward to exciting times, we are very confident because our people are very appreciative and have the passion to exercise their mandate and vote to ensure that they bring back their governor,” he said.
Speaking also, the National Chairman of LP, Chief Dan Nwanyanwu, said the NEC meeting considered issues relating to the forthcoming governorship elections in Ondo state as well as the security situation in the country.
However, Agunloye, who recently defected to the Labour Party (LP) following controversies which ensued over the selection of the ACN candidate, spoke through the spokesperson of his campaign platform, Omoluwabi, Mr. Wemi Ajegbemiga.
“It will be interesting to know that the so called leaders of ACN abandoned Hon Ademola Adegoroye, their candidate in 2007 election and stiffen his campaign with adequate funds while these same leaders of ACN went on to pitched their tent and even mobilised fund heavily for the same Dr. Olusegun Mimiko hoping he will decamp to ACN after his victory what will you call that?”
Meanwhile, Mimiko has appointed a team of technocrats and crack politicians to man his re-election bid.
Tagged: Mimiko Campaign Organisation, the team is headed by the state’s Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Mr. Akin Adaramola, who would serve as its Director General.
He is to be assisted by the Commissioner for Community Development and Co-operative Services, Mr. Clement Faboyede, who is designated as Director of Campaign Operation.
He is to coordinate the campaign and would be assisted by a deputy and four assistant directors during the election.
A former Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the governor, Mr. Kolawole Olabisi, is also to oversee the Campaign Office as the Director of Media and Publicity.
Other Directorates include; Security, Health, Welfare, Transportation, Mobilisation amongst others while there would be Coordinators at the Local, Wards and Units levels.
Mimiko who charged members of the team to be up and doing and work in tandem with the leadership caucuses at each local government for best results, assured that if all hands were on deck, victory was certain at the forthcoming election given the massive support his administration enjoys with the populace due to the unprecedented developmental projects it has put in place in the last three and a half years.