A former Governor of Ondo State, Olusegun Mimiko, has allegedly concluded plans to join the Zenith Labour Party, ZLP.
The development came barely one month after Mimiko announced his intention to run for presidency on the platform of the Labour Party.
DAILY POST reliably gathered that the sudden move by Mimiko might not be unconnected with the crisis rocking the LP since his return to the party with which he won the 2007 governorship election in Ondo State.
According to an impeccable source within the former governor’s camp who pleaded anonymity, Mimiko, who recently left the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the LP to realize his presidential ambition, had been having series of unresolved issues with some leadership of the LP since his return.
The source also alleged that the Presidency and the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Adams Oshiomole, were behind the crisis in a bid to thwart the ambition of Mimiko.
“There is Abdulsalam Baradan Paiko who is the authentic INEC recognised chairman and there is another guy who goes by the name Mike Omotosho, who is been sponsored by Oshiomhole and the Villa.
“Oshiomhole actually told them not to allow Mimiko come back to the party so that he won’t be able to regain his strength politically.
“Mimiko has done everything humanly possible to resolve the crisis in the party but as it is now, we cannot afford to be distracted, because once beaten twice shy.
“What they are doing with the Labour Party against Mimiko is the same tactics they used against our candidate during the last governorship election in Ondo State.
“The memories of the Jimoh Ibrahim and Biyi Poroye rolls in the build up to the last governorship election in Ondo State are still very much fresh.
“If they don’t like the face of Mimiko why don’t they wait for the convention that is coming up next month. At the convention they can decide to pick him or not but not through this unnecessary attacks on his person.
“We felt this is unfair, infact Mimiko has been the one financing the party. He paid for the secretariat as well as the payment of the salaries of workers in the secretariat. So they did to him is highly unfair.”
The source futher confirmed that his principal will officially declare his movement to the Zenith Labour Party, ZLP, today.
“He will officially release a statement in relating to his new move away from the Labour Party to realise his presidential ambition.
“I am very much aware that the ex- Ondo Governor will now be joining the Zenith Labour Party, which was one of the new political parties that was registered by the Independent National Electoral Commission recently.
ZLP is one of the political parties registered by INEC with its national chairman as Dan Iwuanyanwu and Kayode Ajulo as the Secretary.
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