Members of the Ondo State House of Assembly have expressed delight over the defection of the state Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The lawmakers also expressed their readiness to work with the governor in the new party.
Two of the lawmakers who spoke with Daily Sun, stated that the defection of Governor Mimiko to PDP received the blessing of the state parliamentarians, as according to them the governor took his time to consult with the members before he took the decision.
Governor Mimiko finally put an end to months of speculations as he formally returned to the PDP at an impressive ceremony held inside the Aso Villa last Wednesday with some members of the National Assembly and state lawmakers in attendance.
Akindele Adeniyi and Olatunji Dairo, who spoke on behalf of their colleagues said the governor consulted with the Assembly before taking the decision to return to the PDP, hence, there was no basis for any lawmaker to go against his wish.
Particularly, Adeniyi, who represents Akure  North State Constituency in the Assembly said all the lawmakers were in support of the governor’s return to the PDP, saying, “there is no iota of truth in the claim that the lawmakers are against Mimiko’s return to PDP.”
His words: “As a matter of fact, the governor met with us as part of his consultations before taking the decision. It will be wrong for any member of the Assembly to say that we were not carried along by the governor.
“The entire members of the Assembly supported the move and we remain solidly behind the governor. We gave him our words from the start that we are going with him.
“Mr. Governor said it at the Villa that  he was moving to the PDP to support President Goodluck Jonathan’s second term  bid and we are also in support of this.”
On his part, Dairo, who is representing Owo State Constituency stressed that the governor’s return to the PDP was a blessing to the people of the state.
He also expressed optimism that the governor would harmonise both the old and new members before the 2015 general elections, adding, “the governor I know very well is not a green horn in politics, he will surely move the party to enviable height.
“We are in support of his return to PDP, we were adequately briefed and we have been discussing the issue in the last few weeks. We advised him to go and he convinced us on the need to return to the PDP.
“As for me, I have moved with him and I will join hands with him tomove the PDP forward,” he added.

Ondo lawmakers back Mimiko’s defection to PDP