Rumbles in Ondo PDP as Mimiko, Ibrahim factions feud

Less than 16 weeks to the November 26 governorship election in Ondo State, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) under the Sen. Ahmed Makarfi-led Caretaker Committee and a business mogul, Mr. Jimoh Ibrahim, are at daggers drawn, over who controls the party’s machinery.

The rift within the ruling PDP in Ondo worsened on Thursday, when the factional National Chairman, Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff, gave Ibrahim the nomination form to contest as the party standard-bearer, in the polls.The development has however sent a strong signal of political rivalry among the party’s supporters, who are already divided along interest lines.

The Makarfi-led faction, under the state chairmanship of Clement Faboyede has kicked against the form issued to Ibrahim, as it also condemned the state parallel executive led by one Mr. Biyi Poroye, who is currently parading himself as the authentic Ondo State chairman of the PDP.Poroye hinged his claim to the state’s chairmanship on the recent Federal High Court verdict that declared Sheriff authentic national chairman of the party.

But following the development, the faction loyal to the outgoing governor, Olusegun Mimiko declared Ibrahim, a persona non grata. It insisted that Ibrahim has never been a loyal member of the PDP from the moment he pitched his tent with the party in the state and national levels.In a similar vein, the Director of Media and Publicity of the party, Mr. Ayo Fadaka, has refuted Ibrahim’s membership of the Ondo PDP.

Fadaka condemned the governorship form issued the business mogul in Abuja by Sheriff, saying: “Sheriff’s group is bent on tearing the party as the national crises gradually spread to Ondo and Edo states.” According to him, “I can confirm to you that Jimoh Ibrahim is not a member of the PDP. He has since been rid of his membership and he is now a member of the Accord Party.

“For him to turnaround and picked the PDP governorship nomination form in Ondo through the backdoor, is a shameless thing anybody could have done.”He added: “I also want to reaffirm that Jimoh Ibrahim, apart from the fact that he is not a member of our party, he does not have any relationship with the PDP in any case and if he is taking a form from Sheriff that should confirm to the world where Sheriff is coming from.”

In another reaction, the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to Governor Mimiko, Mr. Eni Akinsola said Ibrahim’s re-emergence in the PDP was a calculated attempts to distabilise it ahead of the governorship election.

Akinsola, who is from the same South Senatorial district with Ibrahim further alleged that the business mogul recently left the PDP for Accord Party (AP).According to him, “It is an open secret that Ibrahim sponsored his new party (AP) through a donation of N5 million, to print membership card.”

But in a counter position, the Head of Publicity and Research of the Jimoh Ibrahim Campaign Office (JICO), Mr. Sola Akinuli stated: “It is not uncommon for some people to celebrate falsehood; particularly when it is to please their paymasters.”

He refuted the allegations that Ibrahim donated money for the printing of AP membership card, saying, “It is common knowledge within the PDP that Dr. Jimoh Ibrahim ranks as one of the greatest investors in the PDP project since he joined the party in 2009.”

He also accused the Faboyede-led faction of engaging in political bitterness and politics of calumny.According to him, “We reiterate the fact that Dr. Jimoh Ibrahim is not a nomadic or itinerant politician like the principal of Mr. Ayo Fadaka, an employee of the party who has been a beneficiary of Dr. Ibrahim’s goodwill.

“It is therefore not only uncouth, but also unethical for an employee of the party to comment on the status of a leader of Ibrahim. “It is on record that Ibrahim joined the party when its fortunes were nose-diving but his coming added life and vitality through the numerous finances he invested on the party. It is on record that Dr. Ibrahim donated over 22 buses for the operations of the party. The vehicles are still working at the state and local governments.”

Akinuli boasted that his principal organised N10 million per outing-worth rallies across the three districts of the state, alleging that the PDP enjoyed so much largesse from his boss despite his rejection of several political overtures offered to him by other parties.

According to him, “Like any viable and potent politician, there have been overtures from many parties but he remained glued to the PDP. The spokesman of Ibrahim campaign team however appealed to all members of the party in Ondo to remain steadfast as the expected turnaround was around the corner.Said he, “It is the Sheriff-led faction and its candidate that will be recognised by law in the November 26 governorship poll.”