Mimiko declares for president, promises security, restructuring, youth empowerment
Mimiko
By Angela Atabo
Abuja, Sept.13, 2018 (NAN) Dr Olusegun Mimiko, former governor of Ondo on Thursday declared his intention to run for President in 2019 on the platform of the Labour Party.
Mimiko, 63 years old, made the declaration at an event held at the national secretariat of the party in Abuja.
He expressed concern over the killings in the Middle Belt and some other parts of the country.
The aspirant said that the excruciating economic pains and the unprecedented level of division, and distrust at individual and communal levels, were of great concern.
Mimiko said that the ability to envision great ideas, and demonstrable track record, rather than place and circumstances of birth, should be the most compelling basis for investing candidates with power.
“This is, therefore, not the time to cheapen the dialogue by engaging in argument on whose turn it is to run the country.
“Rather, it is time to insist that only the best is good for Nigeria; it is time to all march out and recall our past, take charge of the present, and launch out into greatness, as one inclusive, cohesive family,
“There comes a moment in the life of a nation when every patriot must stand up to be counted.
“At such a moment, no person worthy of a place in history can afford to remain ensconced in their comfort zone.
“ When the totality of our being and the very essence of our humanity are in violation, patriots must advance to recapture the present; and commit to re-defining the future.
“I have found it compelling to declare my intention to run for President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“ For our country, Nigeria, the moment is now! The truth, however, is that bad as these times are, they will not pass away, if we choose to remain on this same old path.
“I am running because I believe that working together, we can restructure and redesign our country in such a way that it would mean for all of us,’’ Mimiko said.
Mimiko said that regardless of young and old, male and female, North and South, Christians and Muslims, farmers and herders, a golden door to lasting individual and collective prosperity had been opened.
He said that he was poised to look into the dismal performance of Nigeria’s economy within the wider context of quality leadership, corruption, and a skewed world economic order.
The presidential aspirant said that in doing this, he would not fall into the temptation of administering selective justice.
Mimiko said that he would also not seek the vacation of rule of law because selective justice was injustice; and doubtlessly, some form of corruption too.
“ Rather, we shall frontally attack corruption in all its ramifications, by strengthening existing institutions, deploying technology tools, and deepening relevant policies on cashless society, while proactively leveraging global frameworks for anti-corruption.
“For us, election finance reforms shall occupy a special place in our determined effort to take on corruption, as this constitutes, for all time, and in more ways than one, not just an enabler, but indeed, the very bedrock of corruption in our political system,’’ he said.
Mimiko also said adequate, affordable, qualitative public educational and health services, as well as a robust social housing scheme, are prerequisites to mitigating corruption.
He said that as governor of Ondo for eight years, he restructured the state, empowered youths and transformed the education and health sectors among others.
Mimiko promised to mobilise the youths of Nigeria for education, providing opportunities for them to be productively engaged, and elevating them into leadership through a careful process of acculturation.
He called on Nigerians to support his ambition for a better Nigeria.
Alhaji Abdulkadir Abdulsalam, the Chairman of Labour Party congratulated Mimiko for his declaration.
Abdulsalam said that the party decided to support and give him nomination form based on his track record as governor of Ondo.
He said that the party would go all the way to make him win. (NAN)
ATAB/FF/
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Edited by Fela Fashoro