A group within the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ondo State Redemption Initiative (OSRI), has frowned against the alliance between Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa and a former governor of the state, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, who is the leader of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.
According to the group, Aiyedatiwa has been appointing allies of Mimiko into political positions while ignoring APC members who had toiled for the party.
In a statement signed by its president, Pastor Adebayo Ogunsanmi, secretary, Jide Oriola, and publicity secretary, Sunday Ayeni, the group described the move as unholy affairs.
The group said the governor was not hiding his desperation to retain his office beyond March next year, even at the detriment of APC members who worked for the success of the party at the 2020 governorship election.
Aside from Mimiko, the group said the other phase of the alliance with opposition figures is the alliance with anti-President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in order to diminish the president’s influence in the state.
The group said: “For Aiyedatiwa, securing the support of a leprous hand would suffice as long as it helped him fulfil his ambition. A fresh fact has emerged that among those puppeteers pulling the strings for Aiyedatiwa’s puppet is former governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko.
“It calls for concern that a governor on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) would be guided and advised by a PDP chieftain and chief antagonist of late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN.
“For those who didn’t know, the alliance between Aiyedatiwa and Mimiko began at the onset of the plot to pull the rug from Akeredolu’s legs.
“Among those reportedly recruited by Mimiko as foot soldiers for Aiyedatiwa to battle and ensure that Akeredolu was lowered into the grave were Kayode Ajulo and Paul Akinduro. With the death of Akeredolu, the two, Ajulo and Akinduro, were rewarded with appointments.
“Having achieved the first part of the deadly scheme with the death of Akeredolu, the duo of Mimiko and Aiyedatiwa have now changed the gear of their strategy, with the former governor assuming the role of chief salesman for the Aiyedatiwa project.
“It is not only worrying but equally dangerous that a chieftain of an opposition party would suddenly become a clandestine supporter of another party. So many questions are begging for answers in this matter: what is Mimiko’s interest?, at what cost is this to the collective interest of the state? And more importantly, whose interest is Aiyedatiwa serving by this unholy alliance?
“The APC and the people of Ondo State were served a snippet from this poisonous soup being prepared by Mimiko and Aiyedatiwa recently in a piece by the governor’s special assistant on new media, Olugbenga Abire.
“Aiyedatiwa, in the piece, blamed the APC for a purported crisis in Edo APC and warned of a repeat in Ondo if he fails to pick the party’s ticket. While making a comparison between the APC primary election in the state and Shakespeare’s ‘Ides of March, he warned that the party would die if he was not picked.
“While many may take this as a mere threat, it is important that the leaders of the parties in the state and national settle down to read Aiyedatiwa’s threat for what it is—either me or I’ll destroy everything’.
“Let the party leaders rise now to deal with this bull before it finds its way into China’s shop.
“The other phase of the alliance has been designed to diminish the influence of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu in the state. This is being led by Rauf Aregbesola, who is currently being represented by Bola Ilori (from Ondo West) and Tayo Okeyori, a.k.a. Carrygo (from Ikare).”
