Ondo Workers Rally for Mimiko; Assure of Massive Votes in October: ACN loses Grip as PDP Picks Olusola Oke as Governorship Candidate
The re-election bid of Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State received massive boost Tuesday as workers in the state endorsed him for second term in office. The workers under the aegis of Nigeria Labour Congress, (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) trooped out en mass and converged at the newly constructed Akure central park promptly renamed ‘Democracy Park’ by the elated Governor Mimiko to honour the Ondo state workers.
However, the fortune of the vociferous Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) appears to be dwindling by the day as supporters of the party across the state are intensifying plans to team up with the ruling Labour Party (LP) in the state. NigerianEcho learnt on Wednesday that the worst may yet be at hand for the fast-declining electoral fortune of the ACN which became apparent with the imposition of Rotimi Akeredolu as the governorship candidate if Chief Olusola Oke emerges as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Analysts believe that the candidature of Olusola Oke who is the former legal adviser of the PDP and who is from Ondo South Senatorial District would seriously erode the electoral fortune of the ACN which has already created serious division in the North Senatorial District with the undemocratic selection of Akeredolu who is largely seen as political lackey of Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu, the national leader of ACN. Oke from the south senatorial zone will now possibly be the main challenger of Mimiko from the central senatorial zone while ACN’s candidate, Akeredolu from the now heavily polarized north senatorial district would most probably end up in a distant third place in the October 20 governorship election. An aggrieved, ACN member told NigerianEcho in a telephone chat from Okitipupa in the south senatorial district on Wednesday that the possible emergence of Olusola Oke means that “we now have a choice between two legitimate candidates of the LP and PDP without having to worry about what becomes of the arrogant imposition of a dictator who believes everybody should pander to his sole proprietorship of the ACN”.
At the rally in support of Mimiko on Tuesday, Chairman of Ondo State Chapter of the Nigerian Labour Congress, Comrade Bosede Daramola said the rally was motivated by the various unprecedented achievements of the governor in his three and half years in office. Daramola said: “Workers in this state have benefitted immensely from the Mimiko government in the areas of implementation of salary relativity and payment of N22, 000 minimum wage, which is the highest in the country, regular payment of salaries and promotion, appointment of both retired and serving labour leaders into political offices, elongation of secretariat assistant cadre from GL09 to GL14 and payment of 50% basic salary as Christmas bonus for workers. According to the labour leader, Governor Mimiko’s achivements include, building of a world-class training institute, payment of weigh-in allowance for media workers, giving full recognition and re-organization to artisans and informal sector and release of N1.4 billion in 2009 to pay the retirement benefit of retired primary school teachers and local government workers among others, as a result, we want him to continue in office beyond 2013.”
The Secretary-General of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade John Kolawole, noted the national body of TUC decided to endorse Governor Mimiko for second term based on his excellent performance as Ondo State Governor in just three years of his administration. In the words of Kolawole, “this is our man and he has performed very well, therefore we have it as a duty to endorse him for second term. In Nigeria today, he is the only governor who represents the generality of the masses through the Labour Party of Nigeria, and the Labour Party is a party that belongs to every workers, therefore if we do not stand by our own, who else who stand by him, because we represent the ninety-nine percent of the Nigeria population, and if we allow the one percent to take over leadership, then shame on all of us and we will not allow ourselves to be shamed,.”
Governor Mimiko expressed delight over the massive support so far received from the entire workforce since his assumption of office and noted that no amount of propaganda would deter him from making the state the envy for other states and also benchmarking his programmes for the continent of Africa. The governor added that the support would further encourage him to work harder for the people in accordance with his inauguration speech, stressing that all the God-given potentials of the state would be harnessed to take the state to a greater height. Mimiko added, “I’m convinced that this event today is not by coincidence. I must appreciate our workers in this state for their unequivocal support and solidarity at all times. This day is a vindication of our effort to turn around the fortune of this state. God has used us to translate our vision into reality. At my inauguration, I promised to work for you and I said I will not mind stepping on toes.” “Today, we thank God for what he has used us to do in the last three and half years. This period is a challenging one for our nation and I’m very optimistic that tomorrow will be better for our country. I want to appeal to you to remain calm and peaceful. I know that they will come to provoke you but please do not allow their provocation to cause chaos in the state,” the governor added.
The re-election bid of Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State received massive boost Tuesday as workers in the state endorsed him for second term in office. The workers under the aegis of Nigeria Labour Congress, (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) trooped out en mass and converged at the newly constructed Akure central park promptly renamed ‘Democracy Park’ by the elated Governor Mimiko to honour the Ondo state workers.
However, the fortune of the vociferous Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) appears to be dwindling by the day as supporters of the party across the state are intensifying plans to team up with the ruling Labour Party (LP) in the state. NigerianEcho learnt on Wednesday that the worst may yet be at hand for the fast-declining electoral fortune of the ACN which became apparent with the imposition of Rotimi Akeredolu as the governorship candidate if Chief Olusola Oke emerges as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Analysts believe that the candidature of Olusola Oke who is the former legal adviser of the PDP and who is from Ondo South Senatorial District would seriously erode the electoral fortune of the ACN which has already created serious division in the North Senatorial District with the undemocratic selection of Akeredolu who is largely seen as political lackey of Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu, the national leader of ACN. Oke from the south senatorial zone will now possibly be the main challenger of Mimiko from the central senatorial zone while ACN’s candidate, Akeredolu from the now heavily polarized north senatorial district would most probably end up in a distant third place in the October 20 governorship election. An aggrieved, ACN member told NigerianEcho in a telephone chat from Okitipupa in the south senatorial district on Wednesday that the possible emergence of Olusola Oke means that “we now have a choice between two legitimate candidates of the LP and PDP without having to worry about what becomes of the arrogant imposition of a dictator who believes everybody should pander to his sole proprietorship of the ACN”.
At the rally in support of Mimiko on Tuesday, Chairman of Ondo State Chapter of the Nigerian Labour Congress, Comrade Bosede Daramola said the rally was motivated by the various unprecedented achievements of the governor in his three and half years in office. Daramola said: “Workers in this state have benefitted immensely from the Mimiko government in the areas of implementation of salary relativity and payment of N22, 000 minimum wage, which is the highest in the country, regular payment of salaries and promotion, appointment of both retired and serving labour leaders into political offices, elongation of secretariat assistant cadre from GL09 to GL14 and payment of 50% basic salary as Christmas bonus for workers. According to the labour leader, Governor Mimiko’s achivements include, building of a world-class training institute, payment of weigh-in allowance for media workers, giving full recognition and re-organization to artisans and informal sector and release of N1.4 billion in 2009 to pay the retirement benefit of retired primary school teachers and local government workers among others, as a result, we want him to continue in office beyond 2013.”
The Secretary-General of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade John Kolawole, noted the national body of TUC decided to endorse Governor Mimiko for second term based on his excellent performance as Ondo State Governor in just three years of his administration. In the words of Kolawole, “this is our man and he has performed very well, therefore we have it as a duty to endorse him for second term. In Nigeria today, he is the only governor who represents the generality of the masses through the Labour Party of Nigeria, and the Labour Party is a party that belongs to every workers, therefore if we do not stand by our own, who else who stand by him, because we represent the ninety-nine percent of the Nigeria population, and if we allow the one percent to take over leadership, then shame on all of us and we will not allow ourselves to be shamed,.”
Governor Mimiko expressed delight over the massive support so far received from the entire workforce since his assumption of office and noted that no amount of propaganda would deter him from making the state the envy for other states and also benchmarking his programmes for the continent of Africa. The governor added that the support would further encourage him to work harder for the people in accordance with his inauguration speech, stressing that all the God-given potentials of the state would be harnessed to take the state to a greater height. Mimiko added, “I’m convinced that this event today is not by coincidence. I must appreciate our workers in this state for their unequivocal support and solidarity at all times. This day is a vindication of our effort to turn around the fortune of this state. God has used us to translate our vision into reality. At my inauguration, I promised to work for you and I said I will not mind stepping on toes.” “Today, we thank God for what he has used us to do in the last three and half years. This period is a challenging one for our nation and I’m very optimistic that tomorrow will be better for our country. I want to appeal to you to remain calm and peaceful. I know that they will come to provoke you but please do not allow their provocation to cause chaos in the state,” the governor added.
