GOV. MIMIKO ACTED TOO SOON TO CLEAN HOUSE
By Farouk Martins Aresa
We have to learn from our environment and act accordingly. In Nigeria you never give your opponents notice of what you have in store for them just before taking office. Mimiko has hardly taken office before he sacked the local Government chairmen and councils. He should have waited a few months to allow some of them who sense their jobs are up for grabs to come to him with allegiance. He has now unified them and others against his authority.
Nigeria is a very complex country, even local areas pose some risk to govern. We have a few states that have been retaken from the ruling party, PDP rigged elections. But make no mistake about it, PDP still weld the power in Nigeria. Labor Party victory is a refreshing start because Oshiomole thought he could not win with them in Edo State and had to contest under AC flag.
Federal intrusion into states affairs hardly turn out right for Nigerians. At the same time some states invited chaos by the way they sloppily treat their opponents. One of the best arguments for national police is to avoid official thugs in the name of law enforcement officers. As it is, any power given to traffic wardens by the state and the Federal always result in fight over road repairs and safety enforcement jurisdiction.
While the State Governor is the chief law enforcement officer, the Chief of Police takes order from the President and state police boss takes order from Chief of Police. There was almost a shootout in Ekiti State during the past administrations when AD Governor and former governors were meeting General Adebayo protected by police but the incumbent Governor of the State sent his own convoy of police to remind them who was in charge in the State. This was Federal to Federal police, what would have happened if it was State to Federal police?
This is why Fashola and Oshiomole have to cozy up with Yar’Adua a bit to get what they want. Mimiko is now doing the same but after the police has given cover to the local chairmen to remain in their posts. We are not surprised that Federal might came in as police enforcement of their “rule of law” nor should we be surprised that it is being debated in the Federal House. We have precedents for all these. If Mimiko had waited a bit more he could have done a bloodless surgical reorganization.
Nobody expected that Agagu who had been there as Governor for all these years would not have cultivated some diehard loyalists. While politicians have no permanent friends or foes, Mimiko could have tried to vow some of Agagu friends to his side before targeting the real enemies of his agenda. After all, Mimiko was part of the same PDP and a minister under Obasanjo. He fell out with Agagu because he renegade on his promise to let Mimiko run for governor.
For many and other local reasons, Mimiko a son of the soil, needs to thread very carefully in the land of the very proud and stubborn. Don’t you forget, we have a situation where the Federal Government has the control and the use of force with their version of the rule of law.
Ondo State , like Ondo town is made up of people who are proud and stubborn. Chief S. Akintola former Premier of the Western Region could not break them in the sixties. He refused in those days to open their pipe-born water because they solidly remain AG instead of NNDP. Even those school kids who had lined up the street in Ondo to welcome the Premier refused to wave cheerily. Akinyemi who then tried to fire Iluyomade as Principal of Ondo Boys High School failed because the students went on strike. He was not popular in his hometown as SLA supporter.
Later came the case of Ajasin the Governor and his deputy, Omoboriowo. In view of the respect accorded to Ajasin in Ondo State, nobody expected that Omoboriowo would rig himself in with the Federal might as Governor. This eventually led to the splitting of the State into two as Ekiti State found its way. All it took is the might of the Federal Government. In the process, the Deputy Governor was renamed Owoboriomo by Tai Solari.
We have seen it in Anambra State where a popular Gov. Ngige was ridiculed by Federal police in his own State. To protect his life, he had to engage private security. Even worse, Ngige had to make peace with MASSOB and the Transport unions in his State conceding certain local taxes to them. It later became untenable to the power and authority of the succeeding Governor. Gov. Obi, who like any authority could not concede power of taxes to overbearing organizations, no matter how inspiring their mission.
The two illustrious sons of Katshina State, Buhari and Yar’Adua almost tore the State into two pieces during and immediately after the 2007 election. They both sponsored gubernatorial candidate and were also running against each other for the presidency. Somehow, some cautious accommodations were made for peace to reign.
These are what Mimiko have to take into consideration in ruling Ondo State. In Ondo, unlike the rest of Nigeria, Baba means thunder and nobody fools around with that. The Governor has now emboldened the local chairmen who enjoy Federal support and will thumb their noses at him. He has to go back to the drawing board.
Before the usual method of impeachment catches fire in the House, he has to lie lower now and express his main mission so that he can win popular support. We need the Labor Party to table its agenda in Ondo State by which they can launch a credible campaign for the next election. All the noise about mega party to confront the PDP has failed to salvage our rot. So Labor Party stands a better chance to confront PDP depending on how Mimiko manages Ondo State.
If Oshiomole also succeeds in Edo State with the labor philosophy and activism that brought him into prominence, we may have a fighting chance in Nigeria to change business as usual. Fresh Labor Party faces, guts and brains may not forget their base or how far they have come. Another wishful thinking, may be not.
