The immediate past governor of Ondo state , Dr. Olusegun Mimiko has officially joined the labour Party from the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP),describing the movement as a return to his political home.
The former governor ,who ruled the state for eight years between 2009 and 2012, returned to the Labor Party on Thursday with his teeming supporters across the state
He was received by the National working Committee(NWC ) of the party led by the National Chairman, Alhaji Abdukadir Abdusalaam at Ondo Civic Centre, Ondo City.
Mimiko explained that the reason he left the party in 2014 for PDP was as result of his interest for the development of the country through restructuring which he said the then PDP government promised by putting together the National conference.
His words : “I have taken this decision out of the conviction on the need to catalyze a greater focus on the ideological content of the Nigerian political firmament. Recall that I was of the LP, and had won my two gubernatorial elections on the platform of the Party prior my decision to move over to the PDP in 2014. The implication of this is that there was practically no personal gain in focus for us in moving over to PDP as at that date.
“The decision was also not borne out of any disagreement with LP, either ideologically or operationally. It was simply a decision that we needed to take in the higher interest of our country. We particularly had in focus the agenda of restructuring, which frontier the then president had extended a bit by convoking the National Conference. We thus felt compelled to work with his party, hoping that his victory in the 2015 election, would translate the vision of restructuring the Nigerian federation into reality.
“Recall also that INEC had tweaked the order of the 2015 election, joining the presidential and national assembly elections – to hold on the same day. It posed a huge practical challenge to get our supporters to vote a PDP presidential candidate, and LP legislative candidates, in the same election, on the same day. We thought helping to elect a presidential candidate that had demonstrated this commitment to restructuring of the country was well worth the risk associated with our having to step out of our LP platform onto PDP, on which the former president was running.
“Even now, restructuring remains for us the critical plank without which the much needed stability and functionality of our country cannot be procured.”
He said his return to the party was a patriotic decision towards giving the people an alternative and reposition the country for better .
“It is for the foregoing reasons that I, and Nigerians across the country, and in the Diaspora, who admire what we represent, as demonstrated in our varied accomplishments in government, have elected to have us return to LP. This is a decision we consider as correct, reasonable, and patriotic. With this, we are no more restrained from offering to the Nigerian people a pristine, truly ideologically driven, well-thought-out, and historically valid alternative for repositioning our country,” Mimiko said.
He advised the people to go out next week ,and register for the Labour Party for them to have the party’s card for them to prepare for the task ahead.
The former governor earlier in the day registered at his ward 7 in Ondo West Local Government Area of the state.
While speaking at the event, the National Chairman of Labour Party, Alhaji Abdukadir Abdusalaam noted the party was delighted to receive the former governor to the party because of his track records.
While describing him as a true democratic , the party national Chairman added that his return would add more value to the party.
He said: “I feel highly delighted to preside over the return to Labour Party of His Excellency Dr Olusegun Mimiko, the immediate past Governor of Ondo State and all his followers. His people oriented programmes in health, education, housing, rural development, urban renewal, youth and women empowerment attest to the value inherent in his return to the party.
“In him, we have an example of what power could be used to achieve on the side of the people.Therefore our hope and confidence is rekindled by his return to the party today to be part of the renaissance of the party and Nigeria.
“Today is indeed not a day for long speeches. We are here to welcome Dr. Mimiko to our party. By his history and achievements, he qualified preeminently to be a member of our great party.
“The Labour Party is elated that that a social democrat like Dr. Mimiko, who through his sterling performances as governor mainstreamed pro-people and pro-poor people policies, programmes and projects, is returning to add value to the party. I assure you of our support and commitment at all times.”
