Former Governor of Ondo State, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, has dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and opened talks with President Bola Tinubu over a possible defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Mimiko, a two-term former governor and influential political figure in Ondo State, was said to have formally withdrawn from active participation in PDP affairs before reaching out to key stakeholders in the ruling APC. He has in recent months been the subject of intense political speculation, with many analysts linking his next move to ongoing realignments ahead of future elections in the state and at the national level.
The former governor reportedly met with President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, where discussions centred on the terms and implications of his planned defection. Although details of the closed-door meeting have not been officially disclosed, sources close to both camps said the talks focused on Mimiko’s possible role within the APC structure in Ondo State and his support base across the South-West.
Mimiko’s move is expected to alter the political configuration in Ondo, where the APC currently holds power but continues to grapple with internal tendencies and post-election alignments. His exit is also a fresh setback for the PDP, which has struggled to retain key figures in the region amid the dominance of the ruling party at the centre.
Party watchers say Mimiko’s entry into the APC, if finalised, could boost the ruling party’s grassroots mobilisation and negotiations ahead of subsequent governorship and legislative contests in the state. They also believe his decision may trigger further defections as other opposition politicians weigh their chances in a political environment increasingly shaped by the influence of the presidency.
Neither Mimiko nor the Presidency has issued a detailed public statement on the outcome of the meeting, but indications suggest further consultations will continue in the coming days as negotiations on his formal declaration for the APC progress.
