The Ondo state governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko has formally defected from Labour Party (LP) to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), giving reasons why he left the party in 2006 and why he has returned with members of the LP on which platform he was elected twice as governor.
Governor Mimiko, who was formally received into PDP today by Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo at the Presidential Aso Villa, Abuja, recalled that he left PDP in the first place because, at some time in history, the room for democracy in the party got greatly conscripted.
“Thus, some eight years ago, when we had need to run for office and the space for internal democracy within PDP had considerably shrank, we chose to leave, but then, not to align with the then emergent opposition party in the land, the ACN.
“Precisely, on December 14, 2006, we publicly announced LP as our choice of platform. To the glory of God, four months later, in the April 14, 2007 election, we got the mandate of our people go govern Ondo state. Although our election was stolen by the political tendency in power in Abuja at that time, thanks to a judiciary that continues to be profoundly alert to its duty in a democracy, we managed to retrieve our mandate two years later.”
Governor Mimiko said that he is aware that Nigeria has always ended up as two-party state and that the current dispensation has thrown up PDP and what he called “fledgling APC.”
He said that in the process, smaller parties are constrained at operating only at the fringe of the political process with all the restrictions thereto for greater political involvement and action.
“Historically, every attempt to build a third force in this bipolar environment has not only been quite expensive bu actually met with muted success. What is more, the argument is unassailable that the two party dominant system has always worked to enhance national unity and facilitated the process of nation-building as all key players are invariably compelled to work within either of the two dominant parties without regard to religious, regional and ethnic specificities.”
Governor Mimiko said that for him and the LP chieftains to want to align with either of the two dominant political forces in the current dispensation is, in the circumstance, the correct democratic position they have to take at this historical juncture.
The governor made it clear that he and his LP chieftains have always supported the Jonathan Presidential project, recalling that in 2011, even from LP platform, “we endorsed, worked for and voted massively for Jobathan.
“This did not prevent us from working for LP candidates where it fielded candidates in subsequent polls. With the 2015 INEC time table, which put Presidential and National Assembly elections on the same day, it has become obvious that the type of support we need to give President Jonathan without creating conflict of interest is better canalize through the President’s political party, the PDP.”
The governor stressed that the target of the LP chieftains who defected to PDP is to help the process of getting President Jonathan elected in 2015, adding: “we hope to be part of the process of creating, especially in the South West, a solid and robust platform of involvement in the election of the President, governors and legislators and post election governance structure which will help to engender rapid socio-economic development.
Senate President, David Mark, Delta state governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan, National Deputy National Chairman of PDP and
Chief of Staff to President Jonathan were on hand to welcome governor Mimiko back to PDP even as the former governor of Osun state, Chief Gbenga Daniel was among those that accompanied Mimiko to Aso Rock. [myad]

Senate President, David Mark has expressed concern that the defection of the Ondo state governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko from Labour Party (LP) which platform he was elected in…to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may cause crisis and confusion in the rank and file of the state’s PDP.
Senator Mark, who headed the integration committee of PDP that saw to the return of governor Mimiko to the party said: “we don’t want to hear about old PDP and new PDP in the state.”
The Senate President appealed to those whom governor Mimiko met in PDP to blend well together, saying: “the mixture should not be like water and oil.”
He asked governor Mimiko as new leader of PDP in Ondo state to treat every member on the same pedestal.
He also appealed to the party’s members that have been managing it before now to respect the leadership of Mimiko.
Senator Mark said that with the coming of Mimiko, PDP now has two governors in the South West, adding that the party is set to break through the region in the 2015 general elections.
“The Ekiti governor-elect, Ayo Fayose, will soon be sworn-in soon and nothing will stop that”
The Deputy National Chairman of PDP, Prince Uche Secondus assured that the party is one and united everywhere, saying that governor Mimiko and all those who returned to the party would have all their entitlements restored.
He also announced that the party has granted automatic waver to returnees who want to contest any election in the primaries, promising that the primaries would be transparent, free and fair.
Secondus also cautioned against bickering, rumour and disintegration of PDP in Ondo state, even as he asked governor Mimiko to now take up the leadership of the party in the state.

[myad]

Presidential aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has made it clear that the more Presidential aspirants emerge in APC with the aim joining in the mission to rescue Nigeria from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the better it would be for the country.
Said he: “the more individuals who are ready to be part of the mission to rescue the country, the better,” even as he said that the task of rescuing Nigeria is a duty which leaders of the APC are committed to.
In a statement which he personally signed today in Abuja, Atiku welcomed the decision of General Muhammadu Buhari to join the contest for the Presidential ticket of APC for the 2015 general elections.
“Nigeria has floundered for far too long. Our people are yearning for a change and we must listen to them before they lose faith in the ability of their leaders to revive the country.
“You will recall that during my declaration speech penultimate week, I did mention that my priority, if given the chance to run and serve as the President of Nigeria is addressing the issues of jobs creation and providing decent employment for Nigerians, especially the youths.
“I believe that it is only when we can provide decent jobs for our young people, that we can have a hope for the decent future for our country.
“It is also not in doubt that of recent, successive administrations have failed woefully in building the infrastructure that can promote a healthy economy: our education system is in shambles, public health system is in virtual comatose, we have very poor network of roads totally at variance with the wealth of a country that is the seventh oil producer in the world.
“I believe that the country has failed in these areas because of the excessive centralization of functions and resources to the government at the centre. The government that the APC plans to lead in the next few months, by the grace of God, will be fully committed to devolution of powers and resources to the state governments in line with the manifesto of our great party. I also plan to march this resolve with a full commitment to ensuring transparency in all sectors of our national life.
“I am equally disturbed about the way our people have been divided along ethnic and religious fault lines and how we are steadily and dangerously losing a sense of community where every Nigerian can live together without mutual suspicion.
“I believe that the next president of our country, who by the grace of God will be produced by our great party, must be someone who is a unifier, bridge-builder and not someone who bears ethno-religious bias. Above all, he must embody a vision of a Nigeria for all.
“I have no doubt in my mind that we both share a common concern about rescuing our country from the deadly grip of the PDP and it is on this note that I do warmly welcome him on board in this very important national rescue mission. I look forward to meeting him in an open, free and fair contest for the ticket.”

[myad]

The Independent National Electoral Commission has confirmed that the tenure of office of the President, Vice President, Governors and Deputy Governors will expire on May 28  2015. The electoral body however ruled out the case of Anambra, Bayelsa, Kogi, Edo, Ondo, Ekiti and Osun states, and the membership of the national and state assemblies,

The Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Mr. Kayode Idowu, said in a statement announced that elections into these offices will be December 29 2014 and the latest day for election shall be April 28, 2015.

“By virtue of the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) elections into the said offices shall not hold earlier than 150 days and not later than 30 days before the expiration of the term of office of the last holder.”

The commission was, by virtue of Section 30 (1) of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended), expected to issue a Notice for the elections not later than 90 days (October 1) before the date of the elections.

INEC has therefore fixed the Presidential and National Assembly elections for February 14, 2015 while governorship and state assemblies election will take place on February 28, 2014.

While campaign by political parties for the Presidential and National Assembly elections commences on November 16, 2014, campaign for governorship and State House of Assembly begins on November 30, 2014

Collection of Forms for all elections by political parties has been fixed for between November 4 and 11 2014 for political parties to issue to their candidates at INEC Headquarters.

“Run off election to the office of the President or Governor of a State (if any) will be held within 7 days after the announcement of the result of the election in accordance with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).” [myad]