Long, Tortuous Journey to Ondo State House.

Byline: Dayo Johnson

THE 21 months legal battle over who was the actual winner of the April 14 2007 governorship election ended yesterday at the Court of Appeal sitting in Benin, Edo State as it declared Dr Olusegun Mimiko as the governor elect of Ondo State known as the "Sunshine State".

Mimiko, popularly referred to "Iroko" is a house hold name in the politics of the state since the days of Evangelist Bamidele Olumilua in 1991 to 1993 when he was the Health Commissioner.

The two gladiators both with the same first names Segun have been coming together for long since the days of Evangelist Bamidele Olumilua the then governor of the state in the 1990s. While Dr Agagu was the deputy governor to Olumilua, Mimiko was the Commissioner for Health. They later joined forces to oust the deceased former governor of the state Chief Adebayo Adefarati in year 2003. Mimiko was made the Secretary to the State Government while Agagu was the governor.

But ideological differences made them to part ways 2005 after Mimiko left to become a minister without the consent of Agagu. By 2007, the parting of ways was inevitable as Mimiko floated a new Party called Labour Party with the determination to sack Agagu from the Alagbaka Government House.

After the April 14 election and Agagu was declared winner, Mimiko cried blue murder and petitioned the tribunal and for about 15 months that the proceedings lasted, it was an open secret that Mimiko meant business with the avalanche of evidence and witnesses he paraded three forensic experts including a British Forensic Expert Andrea Forty.

Mimiko was to be the deputy governor to Olumilua but the former governor Dr Olusegun Agagu was preferred. Mimiko was compensated with the position of a commissioner.

He was …