The Labour Party on Tuesday expressed readiness to welcome the return of the former Governor of Ondo state, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, back to the party.
This is just as a group of former Commissioners and Special Advisers who served in the cabinet of Dr Mimiko when he was Governor of the State have pledged their support for the planned return of their boss to the Labour Party.
The ex-officials who expressed their support after a meeting with the former governor in his Ondo residence on Tuesday, are also expected to hold series of meetings this week as he prepares to dump the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
National Chairman of the party, Dr Mike Omotoso, said in a statement in Abuja that Mimiko was free to return to the party as being rumoured.
He said that his statement became necessary following an online report where “a faceless group’’ claiming to be speaking for the party, condemned the former governor’s bid to return to the party.
“Let me state unequivocally that Dr Olusegun Mimiko is free to return to this party he helped to nurture.
“I have nothing against his return and I state without any reservation that his coming will be a worthwhile addition to this party, especially at this time.
“He is a brother and a well experienced politician whose sagacity will contribute to the growth of Labour Party.
“Though rules of engagement have since changed with our new leadership, we are resolute about building a well-structured party where the generality of the people, not few individuals, have the way,’’ he said.
Omotoso said that the new leadership of the party had made a solemn promise to return it to the masses.
“Irrespective of who knocks on our door, our ideologies cannot be compromised, our resolve for best practices, internal democracy and rule of law is sacrosanct.’’
He appealed to aggrieved members of the party to eschew bitterness and embrace peace across board.
The national chairman assured that the mandate freely given to him at the October 3, 2017 Special National Convention would be upheld for the success of the party.
Mimiko governed Ondo state for two terms between 2009 and 2017.
He won the first election in 2007 though he had to reclaim his mandate through the tribunal in 2009. His re-election also came in 2012 on the platform of Labour Party, but defected to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on October 2, 2014, before the end of his tenure.
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