Former Ondo State governor, Olusegun Mimiko, has officially defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress.
Mimiko, who served as governor of the Sunshine State from 2009 to 2016, had earlier resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party last month.
The former governor was formally received into the APC on Thursday at the party’s Ward 7 secretariat in Ondo West Local Government Area. Explaining his decision, Mimiko said he joined the party to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in advancing the country’s development.
He said, “There are a lot of good things being done by the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led government, and though much more will still have to be done, I am coming in to lend my support to ongoing efforts to keep Nigeria on the path of peace, progress and genuine development.
“The NELFUND initiative to democratise access to education is another commendable effort of Mr President which must be applauded, and for an avowed supporter of state police like myself, the current effort to decentralise policing as being pursued is another reason I am happy to be part of the current effort under Mr President.”
Welcoming him into the party, Ondo APC chairman, Kolawole Babatunde, described Mimiko as a committed progressive whose achievements in governance remained notable.
He stated, “Former Governor Mimiko is a progressive through and through, and his coming into the APC is like a homecoming. President Tinubu’s every initiative and effort are progressive in nature and are yielding positive results that are endearing to other positive and progressive-minded Nigerians.”
Also speaking, former House of Representatives member Joseph Akinlaja said Mimiko’s defection marked the complete movement of his political structure into the APC in Ondo State.
He said, “Before now, some of us had moved into the APC mostly with his consent, but now feel fully satisfied that he has finally joined us so that we can all contribute to the landslide electoral success of President Tinubu and all the party’s candidates in subsequent elections.”