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.
The group in a statement signed by its President, Pastor Adebayo Ogunsanmi, Secretary, Jide Oriola, and Publicity Secretary, Sunday Ayeni described the intervention of Mimiko, a People’s Democratic Party (PDP) member in APC’s affairs as unholy.
The group said the appointment of key allies of Mimiko into APC government and the nocturnal meetings between the governor and key opposition figure showed desperation to retain power at all cost.
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 Mimiko, the group said the other phase of the alliance with opposition figures is the alliance between 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 helps him fulfill his ambition. Fresh fact 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.
“Having achieved the first part of the deadly scheme with death of Akeredolu, the duo of Mimiko and Aiyedatiwa have now changed the gear of their strategy, with the former governor assuming role of the chief salesman for the Aiyedatiwa project.
“It is not only worrying but equally dangerous that a chieftain of an opposition party would suddenly become a clandestine supporter of another party. So many questions are begging for answers in this matter: what is Mimiko’s interest?, at what cost is this to the collective interest of the state? And more importantly, whose interest is Aiyedatiwa serving by this unholy alliance.
“The APC and the people of Ondo state were served a snippet from this poisonous soup being preapared by Mimiko and Aiyedatiwa recently in a piece by the governor’s special assistant on new media, Olugbenga Abire.
“Aiyedatiwa, in the piece, blamed the APC for a purported crisis in Edo APC and warned of a repeat in Ondo if he fails to pick the party’s ticket. While making a comparison between the APC primary election in the state and Shakespeare’s ‘Ides of March, he warned that the party would die if he is not picked.
“While many may take this as a mere threat, It is important that the leaders of the party in the state and national settle down to read Aiyedatiwa’s threat for what it is – it is either me or I’ll destroy everything’.
“Let the party leaders rise now to deal with this bull before it finds its way into the China’s shop.
“The other phase of the alliance has been designed to diminish the influence of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu in the state. This is being led by Rauf Aregbesola who is currently being represented by Bola Ilori (from Ondo West)and Tayo Okeyori a.k.a Carrygo ( from Ikare)”