— Defends subsidy removal, rejects one party state fear

— Urges governors to account for increased FAAC funds

By Dayo Johnson Akure

The 2024 Zenith Labour Party governorship candidate in Ondo State, Abbas Mimiko, has defended President Bola Tinubu against claims that he is stifling opposition parties.

Mimiko said the allegations are baseless and ignore the realities of democratic politics.

He spoke with newsmen in Akure, where he argued that governors defecting to the APC are acting out of political conviction, not coercion.

“Governors can’t be threatened”

“Is it the President’s fault that he is doing so well that governors are decamping to him?” Mimiko asked.

“Which governor can be threatened? Governors have immunity. If they decide they want to be part of what they consider a winning team, there is nothing undemocratic about that.”

The younger brother to former Governor Olusegun Mimiko praised Tinubu’s democratic record. He recalled Tinubu’s role in reclaiming opposition mandates during the Obasanjo era in Ondo, Ekiti, Osun, and Edo.

“If there is one person of this generation who has fought for democracy, it is President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. I have no apology for saying that because I witnessed some of it firsthand,” he said.

“Opposition isn’t dying”

Mimiko dismissed fears of a one-party state, noting that Peter Obi, Atiku Abubakar, and Rabiu Kwankwaso remain active in national discourse.

“People say opposition is dying, but that is exaggerated. Nigeria is too complex for a one-party state. The opposition must organise itself better rather than blame the President for its weakness,” he stated.

“Tinubu took the hard decisions”

The psychiatrist strongly backed Tinubu’s removal of fuel subsidy, calling it a courageous move past administrations avoided.

Using a relay race analogy, he said Tinubu inherited a failing economy.

“If Usain Bolt gets the baton when the first three runners have already destroyed the race and he manages to finish third, would you blame him for not coming first?”

“President Tinubu inherited a virtually bankrupt economy and took the painful but necessary steps to stop total collapse.”

He said subsidy removal and floating the naira have stabilised fiscal parameters and boosted confidence, despite short-term hardship.

“Before Tinubu came, states were receiving less than N10 billion in some cases. Today many are receiving up to N40 billion. Why are people not asking governors what they are doing with this money?”

“Don’t blame Tinubu for Buhari”

Mimiko said Tinubu should not be blamed for Buhari’s failings, even though he was part of the coalition that brought him to power.

“Tinubu was part of the coalition that brought Buhari, but many Nigerians believed Buhari represented integrity and discipline at the time. The fact that the administration underperformed does not mean Tinubu should carry that blame,” he said.

“I still support Tinubu”

Despite remaining in the ZLP, Mimiko declared continued support for Tinubu. He said political parties are vehicles, not prisons of loyalty.

“I supported Tinubu before he became President, I support him now, and I will most likely support him again because one good turn deserves another,” he said. He added that Tinubu’s past support for Ondo’s democratic struggles earned him lasting goodwill.

“Ondo should do more with more money”

On Ondo State, Mimiko said increased federal allocations should translate to progress in health, education, and social services.

“States that were receiving less than N10 billion monthly are now getting close to N40 billion in some cases. With that kind of revenue increase, citizens should be seeing measurable improvement in their lives.”

“Ondo has not yet matched the trajectory we witnessed under the Mimiko years, especially in health, education and social intervention programmes,” he said.

He however commended Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s push for a seaport and bitumen development, calling them bold long-term projects that need time.

“It is too early to completely judge this administration, but certainly things could have been done much better.”

Power, health, security

Mimiko said Tinubu inherited decades of decay in the power sector but expressed optimism over recent appointments.

He rated the administration’s health sector performance higher, citing increased funding, manpower development, and better maternal healthcare outcomes.

On insecurity, he pushed for decentralised policing. “Nobody knows how to police a place better than the people from that place,” he said.

FX reforms, ZLP’s future

He said unifying exchange rates restored confidence and blocked round-tripping by privileged interests.

Mimiko insisted the ZLP remains vibrant in Ondo and beyond, dismissing deregistration fears.

He said the party is focused on voter education to curb vote-buying.

“Our task now is to educate the people that their ballot is their power. Until citizens stop selling their votes, we cannot get the leadership we deserve.”