Ondo: Mimiko, deputy gov alliance tightens race

The defection of the Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Agboola Ajayi, from the Peoples Democratic Party to the Zenith Labour Party which has a former governor of the state, Olusegun Mimiko, as its leader, has thrown up more intrigues ahead of the October 2019 governorship election. PETER DADA writes

Ajayi, one of the foundation members of the PDP in the state, announced his defection to the ZLP on Friday and is expected begin his campaign immediately after that. He resigned from the ruling All Progressives Congress, where he had differences with his estranged boss and governor of the state, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu , who would now become his opponent in the forthcoming election.

On the other hand, another school of thought is of the view that Ajayi’s recent defections show desperation and that the ZLP has little or no structure across the 18 local government areas of the state. Some political analysts in the state have however countered that argument and reminded people that in 2007, Mimiko contested under a relatively unknown party and he was successful.

Also, since the race began, the people of the Ondo South Senatorial District have been clamouring for power to shift to the district, as both people from Ondo North and Ondo Central Senatorial Districts have spent more time in power. As noted by those agitating for power to shift to Ondo South, the late Governor Adebayo Adefarati was in office between 1999 and 2003 and the incumbent governor, Akeredolu, would have spent four years in office by 2021 when his tenure will expire.

He said, “I can’t say if the ZLP would win the election or not; I will say anybody can win the election. Nobody should be regarded as an underdog among them. It has happened before in this state. Nobody thought Mimiko could defeat Agagu despite all the federal and state governments’ support behind Agagu then. Look at what happened in Imo and Bayelsa states recently; all these point to the fact that any of the gladiators can be the next governor.

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