DR. MIMIKO AND HON. AGBOOLA AJAYI’S SURPRISE RETURN TO PDP……Dr. Akeredolu O.N
Why It could be more dangerous for Ondo state APC than what we think in 2023
*INTRODUCTION*
My political mentor, leader, father and benefactor, late Dr. Wahab Aderopo Adegbenro(Crown hospital), the immediate past commissioner of health in the state, when he was counseling me on politics, he described Dr. Mimiko as a political guru and genius, narrated his experience during the failed transition program of late General Sanni Abacha in which they belonged to the same political party, Dr. Mimiko contested for Senate of Ondo central while late Dr. Wahab Aderopo Adegbenro contested for house of Representatives. He concluded his story with me by calling Dr. Mimiko a political genius with unparalleled political prowess in the state, based on his personal experience with him.
One of the greatest mistakes made by late Dr. Olusegun Agagu was to underestimate Dr. Mimiko when he contested against him in 2007 under the umbrella of Labour party in the state. Late Dr. Olusegun Agagu later realized he made a mistake by belittling what Iroko could do but it was too late for former lecturer turned politician to amend and he was eventually sent packing from Alagbaka government house. The news of Dr. Olusegun Mimiko and newly found godson, the erstwhile deputy governor to Aketi, Hon. Agboola Ajayi returning to PDP has been spreading like winter fire on social media platforms and finally became reality yesterday.
The four governors of the PDP controlled states, Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo state, Gov. Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto state, Gov. Nyelson Wike of Rivers State and their counterpart from Abia state, Gov. Okezie Victor Ikpeazu paid courtesy visit to Dr. Mimiko in his resident in Ondo town, probably to finalize the sharing formula of state structures, crossing the I and dotting the T of the planned defection of Zenith Labour Party members into PDP. The reactions from the people on social media platforms show that it is not yet uhuru for Ondo state APC and the defection of Iroko and Agbo could portent more political danger than what we envisage comes 2023.
*DR. MIMIKO’S POLITICAL EXPERIENCES*
Dr. Olusegun Rahman Mimiko is an Ondo town born political Igodomigodo, a University of Ife Medical School trained doctor, who has been practicing politics from the University days but joined active politics more than four decades ago as a member of youth wing of UPN. He contested for chairman of Ondo local government ( now Ondo East and West) under the umbrella of Social Democratic Party in the ill- fated transition program of Gen Ibrahim Banbagida led military junta of early 1990’s, he lost in the primary to an elderly aspirant.
When late Evangelist Bamidele Olumilua was a governorship aspirant of SDP in early 1990’s, Dr. Mimiko worked for him and won against another popular aspirant, Mr. Olajide in the primary and finally defeated Mr. Adegbemile of NRC to emerge as the governor of the state. Dr. Rahman Mimiko was appointed as commissioner of health under that dispensation that lasted for 18 months. He was also active politically during late Gen. Abacha failed transition program in which he contested for Senate in one the five parties of that era but lost the election.
He worked for Chief Adebayo Adefarati nicknamed Baba peace in the primary of Alliance for Democracy in governorship election in 1998 against Mrs Mobolaji Oshomo, he was compensated with commissioner of health, the position he held until he decamped to PDP in 2003 and formed an alliance with late Dr. Olusegun Agagu of PDP in which he was appointed the secretary to state government when they won in the general election. He was elevated as a federal cabinet member , a minister for housing to replace Mrs. Mobolaji Oshomo who was fired by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo for not following due process in the sales of some auctioned federal houses which then first lady of the nation, late Mrs. Stella Obasanjo was a beneficiary.
It was like a child play for late Dr. Olusegun Agagu led PDP state government when he(Dr. Mimiko) showed interest against his former boss as the governorship candidate of 3 month old Labour party in state. The ruling party never recovered from daily pouching of its members until it was finally removed from Alagbaka government house through Appeal Court judgement that pronounced Dr. Mimiko as the winner of 2007 governorship election in the state after two years of fierce legal battles. He governed the state for 8 years, being the longest serving governor of Ondo state. He contested the last Senatorial election in the platform of his newly formed party, ZLP which he lost to his political son, Mr. Ayo Akinyelure ( Allover) of PDP.
*HON. AGBOOLA AJAYI AS A POLITICAL SON*
Hon. Agboola Ajayi is now a political son to Dr. Mimiko. If I was to predict during the last governorship election in the state, I never thought their political father and son relationship could last more than that election period but they have proved me wrong as both of them are planning this defection to PDP together and their harmonious relationship still persist . Hon. Agboola Ajayi started as a supervising councillor in one of the wards of Ese-Odo local government of Ondo South Senatorial district of the state. He was appointed as the caretaker chairman of same local government when late Dr. Agagu took over the reins of Ondo government in 2003 and subsequently elected as the Chairman. In 2007, he won house of Representatives election of Ilaje/ Ese-Odo federal constituency.
He wanted to go for Senate in 2015 but he was prevented by Dr. Mimiko who preferred Senator Yele Omogunwa to him in PDP primary and He left the party in anger and decamped to APC, formed an alliance with the popular Aketi team in the star-studded governorship primary of APC in 2016, which produced Aketi as the candidate of the party and he was single-handedly compensated with deputy governorship position by Aketi for his financial support in few times as a member of Aketi team.
He became the deputy governor when they were sworn in Feb. 2017 and eventually contested against his boss, Aketi in 2020 governorship election in the state. He was the flag bearer of Dr. Mimiko’s ZLP in the last governorship election in the state which he lost to his former boss. This newly found father to son relationship between Dr. Mimiko and Agbo strained the age-long friendship of Aketi and Iroko which was dated back to their University days.
*WHAT APC SHOULD DO AS A MATTER OF URGENCY*
It is true that Aketi led state government is performing In state and his Midas touch can be felt in every sector of state economy. You will also agree with me that politics goes beyond performance of the governor of the day. Both late Chief Adebayo Adefarati and late Dr. Agagu never lost due to non performance but as result of ineptitude in management of political permutations. There is need for APC party members to be involved and strategically empowered by being appointed to the statutory boards and cabinet. This will enable most of them to be more committed to the victory party in the upcoming elections.
The last horrible experience of 2019 must be prevented in state comes 2023 in which the party lost five out the nine house of Representatives seats to PDP and two of the three Senatorial seats to the same underdog party. There is need for coherence in all the rank and file of the APC in the state and the disgruntled members must be appeased to have a united house like what happened in last governorship in the state in which all APC factions worked for the success of Aketi’s re-election.
*IN CONCLUSION*
A stitch on time saves nines, Dr. Mimiko knows his onions when it comes to game of politics and it only a non politician who can underestimate what Iroko can do in the scheming and tactical display of political prowess, the members of APC as a party must not fail in their roles if they don’t want to lose out in subsequent elections, having Hon. Agboola Ajayi and other political gurus in PDP with them against APC in 2023, the elections might demand hard work if APC will eventually win reasonably in the state, otherwise, we( APC) should prepare for the replay of 2019 eventualities.
*Dr. Akeredolu O.N, Vice chairman, Aketi-Aiyedatiwa Medical Committee, 2020 campaign*
