The Ondo State Redemption Initiative (OSRI) has kicked against the alliance between Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State, and a former governor of the state, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko.
In a statement signed by its President, Pastor Adebayo Ogunsanmi, Secretary, Jide Oriola, and Publicity Secretary, Sunday Ayeni, the group described the intervention of Mimiko, a People’s Democratic Party (PDP) member, in the APC’s affairs as unholy.
The group said the appointment of key allies of Mimiko into the APC government and the nocturnal meetings between the governor and key opposition figures showed desperation to retain power at all costs.
The statement titled “Aiyedatiwa’s unholy alliance with Mimiko” said the governor was not hiding his desperation to retain his office beyond March next year, even at the detriment of APC members who worked for the success of the party at the 2020 governorship election.
Aside from Mimiko, the group said the other phase of the alliance with opposition figures is the alliance with anti-President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in order to diminish the president’s influence in the state.
Pointedly, Ogunsanmi said Aiyedatiwa’s alliance with Bola Ilori and Tayo Okeyori, popularly called ‘Carry Go’ proteges of former Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State who worked against President Tinubu during the APC’s primary and election, showed plans by the governor to diminish the influence of the President in the state.
The OSRI said, “For Aiyedatiwa, securing the support of a leprous hand would suffice as long as it helped him fulfill his ambition. Fresh facts have emerged that among those puppeteers pulling the strings for the Aiyedatiwa’s puppet is former governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko.
“It calls for concern that a governor on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) would be guided and advised by a PDP chieftain and chief antagonist of late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN.
“For those who didn’t know, the alliance between Aiyedatiwa and Mimiko began at the onset of the plot to pull the rug from Akeredolu’s legs. Among those reportedly recruited by Mimiko as foot soldiers for Aiyedatiwa to battle and ensure that Akeredolu was lowered into the grave were Kayode Ajulo and Paul Akinduro. With the death of Akeredolu, the two, Ajulo and Akinduro, were rewarded with appointments.