The candidate of the Zenith Labour Party in the November 16, 2024, governorship election in Ondo State, Abbas Mimiko, has declared that the party is actively preparing for the 2027 general elections.
Mimiko, a younger brother of a former governor of the state, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, said the opposition party was neither silent nor dead in the state and across the country, but was instead strategically positioning itself while maintaining discipline.
He stated this while speaking with journalists at his residence in Ondo town on Sunday on the party’s preparations ahead of its primaries scheduled for later this month.
“We are alive and well, vibrant, present in all 18 local governments and every ward in Ondo State. We have gone a little quiet, but that is a matter of strategy. The Zenith Labour Party is alive and committed to the upliftment of the people,” he said.
“We have aspirants across the board. There is no governorship election in Ondo State now, so we are focusing on the general elections. Our aspirants are everywhere, including those contesting House of Assembly seats. Many are already collecting nomination forms”, he added.
Reacting to insinuations that the Independent National Electoral Commission could deregister the party over alleged inactivity, Mimiko dismissed the claims, stating that the party remained active at the national level and currently holds elective positions in some states.
“Why would they deregister us? Activity is a subjective term. Virtually every month, my national chairman is on national television addressing issues affecting Nigeria. He is at the forefront of the democracy struggle. I see no reason for deregistration.
“We are a robust party with elected members. Even if a party is deregistered, you cannot kill an idea. You can kill a platform, but the people and ideology remain,” he said.
On the state of Ondo, Mimiko commended Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa for pursuing the proposed seaport and bitumen development initiatives, describing them as bold long-term projects that require time to mature.
“It is too early to completely judge this administration, but certainly things could have been done better economically,” he said.
He, however, argued that the governor could deliver more impactful development, noting that increased federal allocations to states following the removal of fuel subsidy should translate into improved healthcare, education, and social services.
According to him, despite improved revenues, the state is yet to match the developmental strides recorded during the Olusegun Mimiko administration.
“States that were receiving less than N10bn monthly before are now getting close to N40bn in some cases. With that kind of increase, citizens should see measurable improvements. Ondo has not yet matched the trajectory witnessed under the Mimiko years, especially in health, education, and social intervention programmes,” he said.
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