The crisis rocking the Ondo state People’s Democratic Party over the defection of Governor Olusegun Mimiko is yet to be resolved as some state leaders have insisted that decisions made by the national leadership of the party did not have their input and is there unfair on them.
President Goodluck Jonathan reportedly directed Senate President David Mark to look into the crisis in his capacity as the south west chairman of the party’s reconciliation committee; the meeting could however not hold because of Governor Fayose’s inauguratin in neighbouring Ekiti state.
It was learnt that in the said agreement the governor was to present candidates for the positions of the state chairman, secretary, treasurer and youth leader within the state Working Committee. But the State Working Committee members are insisting on holding on to the position of the state chairman while the governor can have other positions.
Their insistence is sequel to the fact that it is strategic and significant to the old PDP in the determination of candidates of the party in next year’s election.
The SWC also believed that the candidature issue determines how 2016/17 gubernatorial candidate for the state will emerge.
The Vanguard reports that Governor Mimiko is leading his team to the talk while the state Chairman of the party, Hon Alabi, would lead the team of old PDP members. In Dr Mimiko team are Director General of National Sports Commission, Gbenga Elegbeleye, former Information Commissioner in the state, Dr. Eddy Olafeso, former Special Adviser on Political Affairs to the late Dr. Olusegun Agagu, Chief Segun Adegoke and former Ambassador to Austria Prof Olu Agbi.
In the team led by Alabi are a former governorship candidate of the party, Chief Olusola Oke, a former Speaker of the House of Assembly, Chief Victor Olabimtan, Presidential Adviser on Amnesty Affairs, Kingsley Kuku, former Defence Minister Tokunbo Kayode, SAN, former state chairman, Dr Tayo Dairo, BOT member, Dr. Olabode Olajumoke and business mogul Jimoh Ibrahim.
The PDP are still finding it difficult trusting Mimiko and his stooges from the Labour Party.
Mimiko must reach an agreement with the state working committee soon as the nomination forms in the custody of the old PDP in the state and collection of the forms stops at the end of the month.
Mimiko was a former secretary to the state government under the PDP administration of Dr Olusegun Agagu before he defected to the Labour party to seek a governorship ticket denied him by PDP.
