By Ola Ajayi

IBADAN—FORMER Governor of Oyo State, Alhaji Lamidi Adesina, has cautioned President Goodluck Jonathan that attempts to shield corrupt state governors from prosecution would rubbish his free and fair crusade in the 2011 election.

The ex-governor alleged that promising the serving governors already indicted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for corruption related cases in order to get their supports at the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, primaries was unbecoming of a leader who had been claiming to be an apostle of free and fair election come 2011.

According to Adesina who is the leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, in the state, “We have it on a good authority that President Jonathan recently called the Chairman of the commission, Mrs. Farida Waziri, to the Presidential Villa where he ordered her to stop forthwith, further prosecution of the serving corrupt governors while her attention should be focused on former governors who were not well disposed to  his ambition to return to villa in 2011.”

While addressing members of his party in his Felele residence, weekend, he noted that such governors who are desirous of running for the second term in office in the 2011 general elections are fully aware of the hurdle against them should the EFCC make good its threat to stop their ambition and they have allegedly sought the assistance of the president to get them out of their dilemma.

As Mimiko tasks him on free, fair 2011 polls

By Dayo Johnson

AKURE—GOVERNOR Olusegun Mimiko, weekend, challenged President Goodluck Jonathan to live up to his promise of conducting a free, fair and credible election in the country next year.

Specifically, Dr Mimiko, who described Jonathan as a child of destiny in respect of his political antecedent and that  God has produced him for a special reason, urged him not to fail the nation at the 2011 elections, saying that his action and inactions would either make or mar the nation.

A statement by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Kolawole Olabisi,  said the Governor stated this while playing host to the Director General of Goodluck/ Sambo Campaign Organisation, Dr Dalhatu Taffida and members of the organisation.

According to him, the people of Ondo State are committed to genuine democratic principles by which their leaders would emerge through popular votes and mass participation in the electoral process.”

“We in Ondo State are determined to make sure that credible elections are conducted in this country. This will definitely portray the image of our great country in a positive way before the international community. Yesterday, I was with the Vice president in Abuja at the launch of the NUJ Insurance Scheme and he promised that the present administration will conduct credible election next year.

“We must all support the Federal Government to make the promise come into reality.”