Dr. Olusegun Mimiko

When Mimiko’s Campaign Train Stormed Lagos. By  OGBEMUDIA JAMES national Mirror.

It was certainly a blissful night at the Golden Gate Restaurant in Lagos, last Thursday, when a group known as Brighter Times Network organised an endorsement dinner for the Labour Party (LP) flag bearer in Ondo State, Dr. Olusegun Rahman Mimiko.

Speaking at the event, Dr. Mimiko promised to leverage on economic of scale by  bringing  together financiers and stakeholders in the construction industry to deliver housing units cheaply. He stressing that his experience in government and as the immediate past Minister for Housing and Urban Development would be brought to bear.

Mimiko remarked that the ripple effect of this would be patent in job creation and particularly youth employment. This is a major plank of his 12-point agenda for change, a blue print for massive wealth creation hinged on the provision of infrastructural backbone and the stimulation of economic activities.

The governorship hopeful, who noted that the provision of employment for the teeming unemployed youths in Ondo State will take the state to greater heights, said: “When I become governor of Ondo State, Ondo State shall become a state where every school age child will be in school, where every citizen shall have a guaranteed health-care.  And in Ondo State, every, I say every employable youth is gainfully employed.

“Within four years, we are going to provide one hundred percent employment for our graduates in Ondo State and you better believe this”. When asked how he would do it, he said his my mentor, the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo once said, ‘I will employ them. In the morning they will dig holes, and in the evening they will fill the holes.’ He was speaking metaphorically. We are going to employ all the youths in Ondo State.”

The gubernatorial candidate, who stated that he would combine his profession as a medical doctor with his experience in the public sector, promised that he would restore the people’s confidence in government, by embarking on people-oriented programmes. He stressed that his ultimate goal is to open up a new vista and modesty in governance.

He noted that his administration, if elected governor in the April polls, will introduce a new paradigm of development in government, through an aggressive capitalization of land resources, particularly cocoa, adding that Ondo State is the foremost producer of cocoa in Nigeria.

Mimiko, who remarked that he would focus attention on the production of cocoa, said that, “Malaysia earns from oil-palm products more money than what we earn from oil and gas in Nigeria”.

Mimiko who served as the Commissioner for Health in Ondo State between 1999 and 2003, explained that the best way to combat poverty in any society, is to allow the people have access to credit scheme. “If you want to get people out of poverty, they must have access to credit, and if they must have access to credit, they must have collateral. We are going to mark every land in Ondo State and encourage our people to take title for their land so that they will access  credit”.

“A lot of our farmers, for N10,000, they mortgage their products, whereas they have heard that they can get a C of O and go to the bank for credit. We are talking of Malaysia, the seed of their palm-products was taken from Nigeria”.

According to him, character, which is most needed in any government, is in short supply in Ondo State. He added that the Labour Party would provide the good leadership desired in Ondo State, stressing that the party has men and women of unquestionable character.

Chief Wole Olanipekun  (SAN), lamented that Nigeria is wallowing in poverty because of bad leadership, which according to him, was is  bane of the country’s development. Olanipekun noted that the problem of bad leadership is not only at the federal level, but also at both the state and local government levels. “We ought not to be where we are today. As a country, we shouldn’t have been what we are today. We were well ahead of Malaysia, but because of bad leadership, we are not just stagnant, but we economically retrogressing”. He however admitted that there are few people in the political class who can be trusted, adding that one of such people is the LP governorship candidate in Ondo State.

“We still have people who have been tested and trusted amongst the political class.  One of such rare people is Dr. Olusegun Rahman Mimiko. He is a golden fish. And you know a golden fish has no hidding place. I know him. In fact, I know him very well. Mimiko has been tested”.

The legal luminary who stated that Mimiko had passed through fire of baptism from the powers that be, urged the  people of Ondo State to  vote for him in the April poll. He described the LP flag-bearer as a fearless, but God-fearing politician who is caring and loving, as well as intelligent, adding that he has all it takes to move Ondo State to greater heights.

In his address, the Chairman of the occasion, Mr. Ralph Alabi, the Chairman of Guiness Plc, stated that Mimiko is a man of the people, who  have the interest of the down-trodden at heart. Mr. Alabi remarked that Mimiko’s experience in the public service had given him the opportunity to familiarize himself with the people of the state, adding that he is the man who really understands the problems of Ondo people. He therefore enjoined the people to vote for him from time to time in the April election, adding that as a medical doctor, he will pay attention to the health need of the people.

Amongst the dignitaries present at the endorsement dinner were Dr. Frederick Fasehun, the founder of Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), Professor Ropo Sekoni, a former Commissioner for Finance in Ondo State, Chief Segun Ojo, Captain Fola Akinkotun, Mr. Kola Ademulegun, Dr. Taye Malomo and Bade Adeshina. Others are Arc. Mojeed Akinsola, Otunba Ore Adesuyan, Bola Olayinka, Mr. Falorin Olutindimin, Yombo Adesulu, Alhaji Labi Shittu and Mr. Siji Olowosuko.

Source: http://www.nationalmirrornews.com/mirror/content.php?section=3&readnews=7&story=6229