2023: Ondo PDP Gets Major Boost as Mimiko, Ajayi Plan to Rejoin Party

• Ahead of the 2023 general elections, prominent politicians have started making moves to remain relevant
• One of such politicians is the former governor of Ondo state, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, who is reportedly set to rejoin the PDP
• Mimiko who is the founder of the Zenith Labour Party, will be moving to the PDP with all his allies in the party

Akure - A report by ThisDay newspaper indicates that the immediate past governor of Ondo state, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko is set to rejoin the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP).

According to the report, Mimiko will be joined by the governorship candidate of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) in the last gubernatorial election and immediate past deputy governor, Hon Agboola Ajayi.

The running mate of the ZLP’s candidate, Engr. Gboye Adegbenro will also join the main opposition party.

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Mimiko left the PDP in 2018 to form the ZLP. His planned defection will make it the third time he would join the party.

The former governor first defected from Alliance for Democracy to PDP in 2003 and then from PDP to Labour Party in 2006 before defecting back to PDP in 2014 and then to ZLP in 2016.

It is, however, not yet clear if he will integrate ZLP structures into the PDP at the grassroots level.

There are also speculations if Mimiko, being the only living former governor in the state, would assume the new role of the leader of the party and replace his former commissioner and two-time governorship candidate of the party, Eyitayo Jegede (SAN), who is the Ondo PDP leader for now.

Meanwhile, a close ally to Mimiko told New Telegraph newspaper on Tuesday, October 12, that the former governor was in Abuja last week in order to hold talks with the leadership of the PDP.

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He said it is true that he would head to PDP, but did not confirm the time of the defection.

However, he said the former governor would hold a stakeholders meeting in order to make his intention known to his numerous supporters and ZLP leaders, both at the state and national levels.

Mimiko, the latest political bride in Nigeria

Vanguard newspaper had earlier reported that Mimiko is being wooed by the two major political parties ahead of the 2023 general election.

According to the report, the two dominant parties, the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) and the opposition PDP have reportedly sent emissaries to the former governor to dump the ZLP.

Wike asks Jonathan to shun APC advances

In a related development, Nyesom Wike, Rivers state governor, has urged former President Goodluck Jonathan to remain in the PDP and not join the APC.

According to the governor, the PDP is a better political platform for the ex-president to run for the 2023 presidency if he chooses to.

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Wike, in an interview, on Friday, October 1, advised Jonathan not to be enticed by moves by the APC to lure reputable members of the PDP.

PDP blasts APC, Buhari-led administration

In another development, the PDP has charged President Muhammadu Buhari and the All APC to respect the office of the president and stop irritating Nigerians with false performance claims.

The PDP described as embarrassing, the resort by the Buhari administration to media hyping of non-existent projects.

The party stated that the APC-led government is built on lies and ranks as the worst in the history of Nigeria.

Source: Legit.ng