29th July, 2011
The Ondo State Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko on Thursday reacted to news reports in which he was alleged to have described the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) as a party of criminals saying he never said the statement ascribed to him. According to the governor, under no condition would he say such things of anybody, groups or political parties either in the State or anywhere.
Mimiko, in a press statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Kolawole Olabisi who was emphatic that he was not averse to criticisms from the opposition parties in the state, noted that he cannot descend low to criminalise the opposition in the state.
“I want to state categorically that I never, at any stage, called the ACN a party of criminals as ascribed to me in a section of the media. By my upbringing and training, I have never disparaged anybody and would not start now. Yes, the ACN has of recent become unfriendly to us in Ondo State but I will never call anybody such names for any reason whatsoever,†the statement quoted the governor.
Mimiko, therefore, assured the ACN and other opposition political parties in the State of the continued friendly disposition of his administration to all and sundry irrespective of their political affiliation saying that Ondo State belongs to all of us and that no effort must be spared in taking it to greater and loftier heights.
Governor Mimiko equally called for cooperation from all and sundry, saying that those who must criticise must do so very constructively and be wary of acts that could affect the generality of the people of the tate.