Ondo State governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, on Thursday, that come 2015, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will form the next government in Lagos State, even as he said that the state would deliver the highest number of votes for President Goodluck Jonathan.

Mimiko said this at the investiture of the former Deputy National Chairman of PDP, Chief Olabode George, of the Mandela Icon Award by the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), which took place at the National Arts Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos.

The event attracted several bigwigs in the PDP from across the South-West geo-political zone, including former Speaker, House of Representatives, Honourable Dimeji Bankole; former Governors Adebayo Alao-Akala, Gbenga Daniel; former Ministers Caleb Olubolade, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, Chief Ebenezer Babatope; Chief Ishola Filani, Prince Buruji Kashamu, Captain Tunji Shelle and Honourable Dave Salako.

Others are governorship aspirants on the PDP platform, including Mr Jimi Agbaje, Dr Adegbola Dominic, Tunji Olowu, Dr Ade Dosumu, Dr Adetokunbo Pearse; Mr Dare Adeleke, Mr Bayo Olagoke, among others.

The Ondo State governor, who paid great tributes to Chief George’s political sagacity, his abiding faith in God and commitment to serving humanity and the Nigerian students, among others, noted that come 2015, the whole PDP family across the country, would gather again in Lagos, to celebrate him more when the state would have been won by the party.

“By 2015 when Lagos State would have come under PDP government, we shall come to celebrate him more,” he said, proclaiming that he was talking through divine inspiration.

“You know why it is so? When God says so, it is,” Mimiko continued, adding that it was liberation time for Lagos, which he said had been under the rule of All Progressives Congress (APC), formerly called Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) for close to 16 years now.

“I pray that by the grace of Almighty, we shall come back here in Lagos come 2015 and I can say that President Jonathan will have the highest votes in Lagos,” he added.

Speaking further, the governor noted that the award given by the NANS to Chief George, who he said always stood for the truth, was well earned, declaring that to the glory of God, the former PDP deputy national chairman had been finally vindicated by not only God but court of law which freed him of allegation of corruption and the tag of an ex-convict.

Speaking at the event, the former governor of Ogun State, Chief Gbenga Daniel, who described himself as one of the children of George, recalled the efforts the former deputy national chairman of PDP in rallying some of them to travel the South-West towns and villages before the 2003 poll, which later resulted in the party’s victory in the zone.

Daniel promised that he would join hands to see that the PDP produced the next governor of Lagos State, just as he sadly recalled that part of the problems that led to defeat of PDP in Ogun in 2011 was because Chief George, who he described as “our master” was then incarcerated.

The former governor, who said he was not a bit surprised that George was being honoured with the award, pointed out that speaking the truth and damning the dire consequences stood both late South African President Nelson Mandela and the PDP chieftain out.

According to him, both personalities were later vindicated by God, expressing the belief that, “the last vestiges of opposition would be crushed in Lagos in 2015 and we shall celebrate with you and you can then take your retirement.”

Responding after being invested with the award, Chief George expressed gratitude to all that were present, including the students who deemed it fit to honour him with the award.

He, however, said he was impressed with the matured and purposeful direction of the younger generation in the country, pointing out that, “our young men and women, the future leaders of this nation are authentic symbols of pride and enlightened contemplation.”

Speaking on his past vicissitudes, George said that like Mandela, he sought no vengeance nor retribution for the forces of evil that massed against him.

“I am personally not detained by the virulent evil of those who sought to destroy me. I am not hindered by the bitterness of the past. I have moved on. I have forgiven,” he said.