The Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Agboola Ajayi, has resigned as a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) after months of battle with the Governor of the state, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu.
He left the APC to join the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at Ward 2, Apoi in Ese-Odo Local Government Area of Ondo State.
While submitting his resignation letter at the APC secretariat in Apoi Ward 2 on Sunday, Ajayi said everybody knew why he left the APC.
He then proceeded to the secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party in the ward where he announced his defection to the party and obtained his membership card.
Ajayi, however, said that he would not resign his appointment as the state deputy governor no matter the intimidation
A video has emerged showing the Ondo State Commissioner of Police, Bolaji Salami, preventing the deputy governor from leaving the government house with an official vehicle.
Salami said he recently caught wind of Ajayi’s moves to defect from the ruling APC to the opposition PDP, an action he said should render him unqualified for some official benefits.
But Ajayi argued that he should still be allowed to enjoy the perks of office as an incumbent deputy governor. He said he used his personal funds to buy the Toyota Hilux truck from which he was being denied access.
The encounter, which reportedly lasted several hours, came as Ajayi intensified his push to contest against the Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, at the upcoming governorship election.
In the video, the police commissioner said: “We are not saying you should not go out. Since you are defecting, even your letter was brought to me in my office this evening that you are doing it (decamping) on Monday. What the government is saying is that you cannot go out with official vehicles. This is politics, I am not saying it is right. This is a government house, the governor is the one talking, give me a few minutes, let me talk to my boss.”
In his response, Ajayi said: “I have tried all constitutional and acceptable means to prevent this crisis. You are being used by the governor to deprive me of my constitutional right. I am highly disappointed that a policeman of your calibre can be used like this.
“I personally paid for this vehicle. You should not have put yourself in this mess. Let me tell you, you cannot repeat what happened in this state in 1983 because Ondo State people will resist you and your emperor with everything.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UY4cGpf7p8s
