Former Ondo State governor, Olusegun Mimiko, has formally joined the ruling All Progressives Congress, declaring support for President Bola Tinubu’s administration and re-election bid.
Mimiko officially joined the party on Thursday at the APC secretariat in Ward 7, Ondo West Local Government Area of Ondo State.
The former governor, who led Ondo State between 2009 and 2016, recently resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party.
Speaking during the event, Mimiko said he joined the APC to support efforts aimed at moving the country forward under Tinubu’s leadership.
He said: “There are a lot of good things being done by the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led government, and though much more will still have 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.”
The former governor also praised some of the Federal Government’s policies, including the Nigerian Education Loan Fund initiative and ongoing efforts to decentralise policing.
Mimiko said: “The NELFUND initiative to democratise access to education is another commendable effort of Mr President which must be applauded, and for an avowed supporter of state police like myself, the current effort to decentralise policing as being pursued is another reason I am happy to be part of the current effort under Mr President.”
Receiving the former governor into the party, Ondo APC chairman, Kolawole Babatunde, described Mimiko as a progressive politician with a record of achievements in public office.
Babatunde said: “Former Governor Mimiko is a progressive through and through, and his coming into the APC is like a homecoming.
“President Tinubu’s every initiative and effort are progressive in nature and are yielding positive results that are endearing to other positive and progressive-minded Nigerians.”
Also speaking, former House of Representatives member representing Ondo East/West Federal Constituency, Joseph Akinlaja, said Mimiko’s defection marked the full movement of his political structure into the APC.
Akinlaja said: “Before now, some of us had moved into the APC mostly with his consent, but now feel fully satisfied that he has finally joined us so that we can all contribute to the landslide electoral success of President Tinubu and all the party’s candidates in subsequent elections.”
