— Aiyedatiwa ‘ll win without Mimiko- Aide

— Group kicks over Aiyedatiwa’s appointees

By Dayo Johnson, Akure

The political romance between the Ondo state governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa and the former governor, Olusegun Mimiko, has unsettled the All Progressive Congress leadership ahead of the November governorship election in the state.

Likewise, the romance has weakened  the Mimiko’s opposition People’s Democratic in the state.

Those eyeing the governorship seat in the People’s Democratic Party, are confused about the romance between their party leader, Mimiko and Aiyedatiwa who’s the leader in the ruling party in the state.

Vanguard gathered that the political strategies offered to Aiyedatiwa by Mimiko, during his impeachment saga endeared him to the former governor.

Report had it that the appointments of loyalists of the former governor by Aiyedatiwa of recent has further thrown the APC party leaders and supporters off balance.

A source said that Aiyedatiwa and Mimiko have reached an agreement on picking his deputy from the central senatorial district if Aiyedatiwa eventually wins the party ticket next month.

The source alleged that “Mimiko wants to use Aiyedatiwa to achieve his long-term goal of installing his loyalist as a governor of the state.

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“The governor listens to Mimiko’s instructions and acts as if he is an APC leader. “Mimiko hoped Eyitayo Jegede would succeed him in 2017, but he failed. He supported Agboola Ajayi in 2020, but the former Deputy Governor lost the election.

“The idea is that by the time Mimiko nominates a running mate from central, the said candidate will take over from Aiyedatiwa after he has completed his four years.

” Fear of the ruling party leaders is that if Aiyedatiwa clinches the party’s ticket, he will spend only four years, thereby shortchanging the Southern senatorial district.

In the PDP camp, the fear now was that the Rance between their leader and Aiyedatiwa may backfire as a weak candidate may emerge and it would be easy for Aiyedatiwa to dust him in the November election.

But reacting to the romance by the governor and Dr Mimiko, a government source said, both have been friends for years and that there was nothing political about their seeing each other now.

” Well if those in the PDP are uncomfortable with the two long time friends,that’s their cup of tea.

” But one thing I need to clarify is that there’s no political alliance between them. The opposition party is just jiltery.

“With or without Mimiko, Aiyedatiwa will win the ticket and also win the November governorship election by the special grace of God.

He added that the opposition People’s Democratic Party should put it’s house in order ahead of the election instead of wasting time on non issue.

Meanwhile, A group in the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State, known as the Akoko Progressive Movement (APM), has kicked against the appointment of individuals who opposed the late governor Rotimi Akeredolu candidacy in the 2023 general elections in government.

The group alleged that “the appointments so far made by the governor are confirming fears in most quarters that he intends to kill the party.

In a statement signed by the group’s Director of Media, Comrade Seye Johnson, accused one of the appointees of being a vocal critic of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, claiming that he openly worked against Tinubu during the party’s primary.

The group criticized the governor for rewarding another appointee who campaigned openly against the Minister of Interior, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, during the Akoko North-West/Akoko Northeast House of Representatives election in 2023.

The APM said that the appointment was a signal that the governor does not support the Minister’s leadership in Akoko.

“If Aiyedatiwa, who is currently building a new structure in Akoko, believes the appointee is capable of delivering Akoko for him, we wish him well.

“However, if Aiyedatiwa’s men in Akoko denigrate the minister, they will face resistance. The Minister of Interior is not only a shining light for the party and the APC, but also an illustrious son in Akoko,” the statement read.

Johnson, therefore called on the national leaders of the party to call Aiyedatiwa to order to save the party and the state from political turmoil.

Vanguard Newspaper