Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondod state,on Tuesday, declared that no individual can force him out of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),adding that his defection to the party has the backing of those that matter within the party.
The Governor stressed that his defection to the PDP was not to create crisis or divide the party in the state, but maintained that his defection to the PDP was a blessing to the party at both the state and national levels.
His words; “I have not come to the PDP to cause or create any crisis, but I have come to the party to add value to it.”
The Governor who spoke while addressing the youth leaders of the party across the country led by the national youth leader, Alhaji Abdulahi Maibasira, said his membership of the PDP would assist the party in future elections.
He was apparently referring to the allegations by the state executive council of the party over sharing of positions and other matters, stressed that discipline must be maintained for the PDP to be able to win elections in 2015.
According to him, there was the need to ensure the enforcement of the decisions reached at the highest level of the party.
He said, “No party will survive without party discipline, a party that takes decision and cannot enforce it is not a party, a situation where decisions are taken at the highest level chaired by the Senate President, David Mark and some party members went to court to challenge it is unacceptable.
“I have not come to PDP to be part of crisis, I have come to add value, I am not coming into PDP on the eve of a second term election and that is part of what we should consider, as a person I have no ambition, there is no Senate available for me, I have only come to add value.
“I am back in this party, I have made the move and nobody is going to force me out of PDP again, if anybody thinks he will create crisis and I will get angry and leave, they are just wasting their time, let us come together and build this party, discipline must be maintained.
“My colleagues that have decamped to PDP in the past they give them all the structure, all of them, Abia, Bauchi, Zamfara but I said I don’t need all the structure just to give comfort to the people I am bringing on board. Out of 27 seats at the state level I said let me take 14 and they take 13, anybody that say that is not fair enough for a governor that is coming with 25 members out of 26 in the House of Assembly, let him or her come out.
“Since we came on board in 2009, we have had eight elections, Labour Party did not lose any of them, that is the value we are bringing and that is why I am saying that the minimum is what we are asking, I was even surprised that people are contesting, I thought they should be excited.
He however said all hands must be on deck to ensure the success of the party in the next year’s elections.
