Falae, NLC paid to attend Mimiko’s declaration – PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party in Ondo State on Sunday faulted the state government’s invitation of prominent Nigerians for the declaration of Governor Olusegun Mimiko’s bid for second term in office slated for Tuesday, alleging that the invitees were paid to attend the event.

It alleged the leaders were to be paid to attend the ceremony.

The Publicity Secretary of the PDP in the state, Mr. Wale Ozogoro, said extending such invitation to prominent Nigerians was just to give Mimiko’s government some credibility.

He said, “Our attention has been drawn to a list of dignitaries that Dr. Mimiko has invited to witness his declaration of intention to contest the next governorship election in this state.

“The list among others include the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Mr. Abdulwahed Omar, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Chief Olu Falae, whose son is a Commissioner in Mimiko’s government and Dr. Tokunbo Awolowo Dosunmu among others.

“Of course, it is common knowledge that all these people Mimiko bring into our state for these activities are paid huge sums of money ranging from N3m to N5m as honorarium.

“Nigerians should see them not as credible voice, but people who for a fee have been recruited for a purpose.

“The people of Ondo State have resolved to pitch their tent with a more credible candidate and they have found Chief Olusola Oke as a man who will make the sun to shine again.”

But the Commissioner for Information in the state, Mr. Kayode Akinmade, in reaction, said Ozogoro had succeeded in exposing his “intellectual inadequacy” by insulting elder statesmen and women who are the shining lights in the nation’s polity.

He said, “The Ondo State people know what is good for them. The invitation of the eminent Nigerians to witness Mimiko’s declaration is a way of showcasing the transformation being witnessed in the state through them.

“The invited guests are comfortable personalities and highly distinguished achievers in their various fields of human endeavours who will never agree to endorse any politician who have failed to deliver dividends of democracy.”

Meanwhile, the people of Owo community in Ondo State demonstrated their support for the second term ambition of Mimiko by raising N1m for him to purchase his nomination form.

The chairman of the Labour Party in Owo Local Government, Mr. Tayo Akinrogbe, said the people of the community decided to pay for the nomination form of the governor because the town had always been noted to be the home for real progressive politics in the country.

Commissioner for Special Duties, Mr. Niran Sule-Akinsuyi, said the people of the town were committed to the return of Mimiko as governor.

In a related development, a frontline accountant, Chief Ade Ogunjumelo, said on Friday that he had paid N5m at the Labour Party national secretariat in Abuja to pick the Ondo State governorship nomination form.

The politician, in a statement in Akure, said claims in some quarters that only Mimiko would contest the election on the ticket of the party were not correct.

Ogunjumelo said he purchased the form since July 11 and pledged to win the primary election whenever it was conducted.

He said, “The statement became necessary against the backdrop of party members that have been misled into believing that Governor Olusegun Mimiko, is the sole governorship aspirant of LP in the state.”