MIMIKO DEFECTS TO APC, DECLARES SUPPORT FOR TINUBU’S RE-ELECTION BID

Former Governor of Ondo State, Olusegun Mimiko, has officially defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), expressing support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid.

Mimiko, who governed the state between 2009 and 2016, was said to have resigned his membership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) last month before joining the APC on Thursday at the party secretariat in Ward 7, Ondo West Local Government Area of the state.

Speaking after his defection, the former governor said his decision was informed by the need to support ongoing reforms under the Tinubu administration.

“There are a lot of good things being done by the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led government, and though much more still needs to be done, I am coming in to lend my support to ongoing efforts to keep Nigeria on the path of peace, progress and genuine development,” he said.

He commended initiatives such as the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), describing it as a bold step towards expanding access to education. He also expressed support for the ongoing push for state police, noting that it aligns with his long-held position on security decentralisation.

Receiving the former governor into the party, the APC Chairman in Ondo State, Kolawole Babatunde, described Mimiko’s defection as a “homecoming,” saying his record in office reflected progressive governance.

“Former Governor Mimiko is a progressive through and through, and his coming into the APC is like a homecoming. President Tinubu’s initiatives are yielding positive results and are attracting like-minded Nigerians,” he said.

Also speaking, a former member of the House of Representatives, Joseph Akinlaja, said Mimiko’s entry into the APC marked the consolidation of his political structure within the ruling party in the state.

“Before now, some of us had moved into the APC with his consent, but we are now fully satisfied that he has finally joined us to work towards the success of President Tinubu and other party candidates,” he said.