2027: Why I will support Tinubu’s re-election – Mimiko

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President Tinubu

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Dr Abbas Mimiko, the 2024 governorship candidate of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) in Ondo State, has declared that he will support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.

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Mimiko made the statement on Sunday while speaking with journalists in Akure, saying the President had taken bold policy decisions that deserve continuity in office.

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He particularly praised the removal of fuel subsidy, describing it as a difficult but necessary reform that past administrations avoided for political reasons.

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According to him, the decision, though painful for citizens, reflected courageous leadership in the face of long-standing economic distortions.

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“Tinubu chose to do the painful but necessary thing. All those who came before him knew subsidy was unsustainable but lacked the courage to remove it,” he said.

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Mimiko, younger brother of former Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko, acknowledged that the policy had contributed to economic hardship but urged Nigerians to also scrutinise how state governments are managing increased federal allocations.

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He argued that the rise in federal revenue to states outweighs the percentage increase in fuel prices, questioning why citizens are yet to feel the impact at the grassroots.

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“The percentage increase in what states now receive is multiple times the percentage increase in fuel prices. Nigerians should be asking their governors what they are doing with these resources,” he said.

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Mimiko also credited Tinubu with contributions to Nigeria’s democratic progress, particularly in efforts that led to the restoration of electoral mandates in some states.

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He said political history often overlooks the President’s past roles due to his current position in office.

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“People conveniently forget his sacrifices for democracy because he is now president,” he said.

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The ZLP chieftain added that he had supported Tinubu before his emergence as president and would continue to do so, stressing that political parties are merely vehicles for governance.

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“I am in the ZLP and will remain there, but parties are just a vehicle. That is why I can support the President despite being in a different party,” he said.

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Mimiko concluded that he supports leaders who demonstrate performance, adding that “one good term deserves another.”

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