Former Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, has resigned his membership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), ending a renewed phase of his political journey within the opposition party.
The development was confirmed in a resignation letter addressed to the PDP leadership in Ondo State, in which the former governor said his decision was based on personal considerations.
“I hereby with utmost humility inform you of my decision to resign my membership of the PDP with effect from today, June 13, 2018, for some well-thought-out personal reasons,” Mimiko said in the letter.
He added that his time in the party had been cordial, noting, “It was an honour working with the many prominent Nigerians with whom I shared the PDP platform for the entire period I was in there as a member.”
Mimiko, who governed Ondo State between 2009 and 2017, had rejoined the PDP in 2014 after leaving the Labour Party, the platform on which he first rose to prominence in state politics.
His latest exit from the PDP has again triggered speculation about a possible return to the Labour Party, although he did not confirm any immediate destination in his resignation communication.
In response, PDP officials in Ondo State sought to downplay the impact of his departure.
The state chairman of the party said efforts were made to persuade the former governor to remain in the party but he was firm in his decision to leave.
“We have tried at all levels to discourage him, but he insisted on leaving,” the chairman said.
He added that Mimiko’s exit would not weaken the party, stressing, “PDP will not die as he leaves.
“We have survived many turbulent times in the past.”
The former governor’s resignation adds to a long pattern of political realignments in Nigeria’s opposition landscape, where prominent figures frequently move between parties ahead of elections.
As of press time, Mimiko has not announced his next political affiliation.
