Dr. Benson Enikuomehin is a chieftain of the Labour Party in Ondo State and a former representative of the state on the board of NDDC. He spoke with DailyPost on the current face-off between him and the state governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko and the current challenges being faced by Labour Party in the state.
EXCERPTS:
Que: Sir, it appears your relationship with Governor Olusegun Mimiko has gone sour going by your recent criticism of his government. What’s your take on that?
Ans: if that is the way people view it, so be it. I am a chieftain of the Labour Party in Ondo State and that is the party in power in the State. LP as a party, is beyond individuals in the party. As a member of the party, you are not bigger than the party. Governor Mimiko became the governor of this state on the platform of the party. If his government makes any mistake or does anything that could affect the party negatively or bring the name of the party into disrepute, it is the duty of the party leaders to call him to order. The LP government under the leadership of Governor Mimiko has failed to transform the state and perform its statutory responsibilities to the people of the state, particularly to the oil producing communities. This has been my grudge with the governor. My curiosity to know how the N48billion oil derivation accrued to Ondo State Oil Producing Area Development Commission (OSOPADEC) since the inception of Mimiko’s government was spent has been the major issue between us.
Que: As a chieftain of the LP, do you think it is proper for you to criticise a government controlled by your party (LP)?
Ans: About two weeks ago, I was on a TV programme in Lagos along with representatives of other political parties in the state. That was few days after the inconclusive Ilaje/Ese-odo bye-election. I was there to represent Labour Party, while others also spoke for their respective parties. We were to review the inconclusive bye-election in IlajeEse-Odo federal constituency and proffer possible solutions to avoid future occurrence of our past mistakes. During the programme, I admitted that Labour Party government in Ondo State has not done enough to justify the success of the party during the election or to seek for the people’s support during the election. I needed to say the truth in other to save the party from going into oblivion. The truth will always sound bitter in the ears of the evil doers and sycophants. The challenge LP is facing in Ilaje/Ese-odo federal constituency today resulted from the poor performance of the LP government in the state. As a patriotic Nigerian and a politician who doesn’t want to soil his name, I think I should not hesitate to say this anywhere, anytime that the LP led government in the state has performed far below expectation.
Que: But do you think you have taken the right approach to this issue by going on air to criticise the governor?
Ans: I had met with the Governor on several occasions where I advised him to complete all the projects embarked upon by the late Agagu’s administration in the coastal area of the state before initiating new ones, particularly the Igbokoda/Ugbonla road and other road projects in the coastal area but he turned deaf ears and rebuffed my pleas and rather treated my entreaties with disdain. He has seen the repercussion of the neglect of the area now. During the bye-election, the people expressed their anger against our party (LP).
Que: You petitioned the IGP that some people were after your life and that of your family members. How serious is this allegation?
Ans: Immediately after my appearance on Channels TV program, I started receiving numerous threat calls from people I suspect were agents of the state government and LP in the state. Even as at today, I still received threat calls. As I am talking to you, I have relocated my family from Akure to another state. This will not stop me from telling the truth. It is not everybody in the party that has the courage to walk up to the governor and say, Mr. Governor, you have not done well in so-so and so area, forgetting that the party is bigger than any individual. Mimiko became the governor of Ondo State on the platform of the LP. Whatever he does today, will tell on the party tomorrow. The LP government in Ondo State has not done well. The current administration in the state is worse than Agagu’s government
Que: You are a close ally of the governor and a strong member of LP in the state. Don’t you think that your outburst will have negative effect on your party?
Ans: During the last governorship election in the state. I was the LP state returning officer. That tells you my relevance and status in the party. The righteous in the party are in support of my action because they want the party to grow and outlive Governor Mimiko but the sycophants do not.
Que: The leadership of your party (LP) accused you of anti-party activities during the inconclusive bye-election in Ilaje/Ese-odo federal constituency, you were also accused of working for the PDP. What is your take on this?
Ans: What is anti-party? If they accused me of anti-party, which means the Governor himself is guilty of same offence. Governor Mimiko is a chieftain of the LP in Ondo State. But in Abuja, he claims to be a PDP member. Everybody knows this. Is that not anti-party? Who is deceiving who? I am a chieftain of LP and if they because of my constructive criticism of Mimiko’s government suspend or expel me from the party, then it will be another phase of “war” or battle. The problem we had during the bye-election was engendered by the governor’s deceptive tendencies. How could the governor flag-off projects in an area he has neglected for over five years, few days to an election? The people knew he was doing that to cajole them in other to get their votes. The people are not fools. I am from that area so I know what I am saying. Ilaje and Ese-odo local governments are the economic pillars of Ondo State. The two councils generate billions of naira to the state coffers on a monthly basis. What has Mimiko’s government done with this money?
Que: The Ondo State government said your attack on Mimiko’s government is a ploy to seek political relevance?
Ans: That is not correct. You see the government in Ondo State has inflicted wounds on our party (LP) and we have invited doctors to treat the wounds. I am one of the resident doctors. For the wound to healed up on time, we need to clean it up thoroughly before applying any treatment. We need to open-up the wound and bring out the purse and make it ready for proper treatment. Although, it may be very painful, but we must endure it if we need quick positive result. I don’t know if you understand my parable.
Que: Your party and INEC in Ondo State have accused the Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro of hijacking ballot boxes during the bye-election, the allegation INEC commissioner in the state Akin Orebiyi later retracted. What is your stand on this?
Ans: the allegation was not true. It was born out of Governor Mimiko’s desperation to manipulate and win the election at all cause. On the day of the election, I was at Obe-Enikanselu unit in Ugbo ward. I never saw Obanikoro or heard of his presence in any part of the two councils. It is not good for somebody to make flippant statement. This is a statement you cannot substantiate.
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