By Dayo Johnson

Akure – Ondo State governor, Olusegun Mimiko and the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff narrowly escaped being caught in the fire outbreak which occurred in the ante-room of the Executive Council Chamber EXCO of the governors office, last Wednesday.

Sheriff was on a courtesy visit to the governor in his Alagbaka office when the ugly incident occurred. The fire outbreak was said to have been caused by a power surge into one of the air conditioners in the ante-room of the EXCO Chamber.

Gov Mimiko and PDP national Chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff during the visit in Akure.

Sheriff, whose endorsement as the chairman of the opposition party in the country attracted criticism was in the state to confer with Mimiko, the Chairman of the Governors Forum of the party on its coming national convention.

It was also rumoured that the chairman was going round the states controlled by the party to woo their governors to his side ahead of the convention with a view to allowing him continue in office.

Governor and leaders

On arrival in Ondo State, Sheriff who was driven from the Akure Airport in the official vehicle of the governor went straight into a closed door meeting with the governor who waited to receive him in his office.

Vanguard learnt the meeting with the governor and leaders of the party lasted for over an hour. Other guests, party faithful and newsmen were seated at the governor’s visitors room for the visitor and the governor to show up for the official ceremony.

The governors protocol and aides after discovering that the courtesy room could not accommodate the crowd, changed the venue to a more spacious Executive Council, EXCO, Chamber, which is on the next floor of the same building. Infact, the governor had walked into the courtesy call room before he was informed that the venue had been changed because of space problem.

His guest was said to have requested for a cup of tea and was being served when the governor walked out to the courtesy call room to exchange pleasantries with some guests including a traditional ruler and his aides.

While all those who were at the courtesy call room moved to the EXCO chamber and were waiting for the national chairman and the governor to emerge, a strange smoke was noticed by the governor’s protocol officers and security personnel who were on ground to check the venue ahead of their boss’ arrival.

Within some minutes, the EXCO chambers was filled with smoke and everyone fled after the fire defied the emptying of three fire extinguishers by the former Chairman of the state Oil Producing Area Development Commission (OSOPADEC) Debo Ajimuda who single-handedly battled the fire before the men of the State Fire Service arrived the scene.

The national chairman who was still sipping his tea had to be told that the ceremony would have to be shifted to the government house for logistic reasons. Civil servants on noticing the smoke in the building took to their heels for fear of being consumed by the fire. They later came back after it was put off less than ten minutes on arrival of officials of the fire service .

It was not clear if the national chairman of the party was informed of the reason for the change in the venue of the ceremony. Addressing newsmen after the ceremony which was later held at the Presidential Lodge in the government house , the Information Commissioner Kayode Akinmade said the fire outbreak was caused by a surge from one of the air conditioners in the ante-room of the EXCO chamber.

Akinmade however pointed out that it was quickly quenched by officials of the state fire service and it did not extend to the main chamber.

The Commissioner who thanked God that the outbreak was quickly noticed said the level of damage was unknown but that it did not extend to any other place within the governors office building.

His counterpart in the Works Ministry, Boye Adegbenro, said the fire only affected the Plaster of Paris POP in the ante room of the EXCO chambers of the governors office.

Adegbenro described it as a “ normal accident but quickly added: “We thank God it was quickly suppressed by the fire fighters who arrived the scene promptly.

Meanwhile, members of the House of Assembly led by the embattled Speaker Rt Hon. Jumoke Akindele have paid a visit to the governor over the ugly incident.

They thanked God that the fire outbreak was promptly put off before it escalated.

Akindele prayed that such an incident would not re-occur.

Governor Mimiko said that it was of the Lord’s mercy that there was no casualty during the fire outbreak.

He thanked the people of the state for their prayers which according to him have been sustaining his administration.

But the opposition party in the state, the All Progressive Congress, APC, read political meaning into the ugly incident noting that it was a sad omen.

A statement issued by the party’s Director of Media and Publicity Steve Otaloro few minutes after the fire was quenched, sympathizes with the Government and the People of Ondo State on the sad and unfortunate fire incident in the Governor’s office, Alagbaka, Akure.

“As much as we sympathized with the state for this huge loss, we hope the government would see this as a clarion call to do the needful by equipping and upgrading the State Fire Service to meet the challenges of the 21st century fire fighting techniques that are obtainable in other States of the Federation.

Meanwhile, speaking during the courtesy visit, the National Chairman of the Party, Sheriff predicted that the party would bounce back in 2019.

Rerun elections

Sheriff said that victories recorded by the party in the various re-run elections has shown that the party would bounce back and take over.

According to him the Party had won rerun elections in Akwa Ibom, Kogi, Benue, Taraba, Ebonyi states and governorship election in Bayelsa state among others.

He was optimistic that the party would also win in all the re-run elections in River State.

The Chairman pointed out that the victory of the party was an indication that “all the aggrieved members of the party have put the past behind them and are now working for the success of PDP.

Governor Mimiko while responding, lauded the chairman for the feat the party had achieved since he took over the leadership of the party.

He said that his tenure has brought about victory and for the party and that the party would come out stronger and better.

The governor said that the pedigree and experience of the chairman has preaped dividends in the achievement so far recorded during his short tenure.