I’ve Not Resigned As Ondo Dep Gov, Says Ajayi After Defection From APC
Agboola Ajayi, Deputy Governor of Ondo State, has said he will remain in his post even as he defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He announced his move to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Sunday. He submitted his resignation from the party at the secretariat in Apoi Ward 2, Ese Odo Local Government.
“I am here to officially announce to you that as from today, I ceased to be a member of the APC. I came to tender my resignation letter to the ward chairman.
“It is a painful thing that I’m leaving the APC but there is time for everything. As a Nigerian, I have the fundamental freedom to belong to any party or group
“The people who voted me did not ask me to resign, so I remain the deputy governor of this state. I was duly elected as a deputy governor,” he said.
Reports had claimed Governor Rotimi Akeredolu had used the police to stop Ajayi from leaving his apartment at the government house.
However, the governor denied the rumour in a statement, saying it was security issue handled by the police.
Police officers led by Bolaji Salami, Commissioner of Police, prevented Ajayi from moving out of his official quarters at the government house premises. Ajayi and some of his personal aides were trying to move their properties out of the government house when they were stopped.
Segun Ajiboye, Akeredolu’s spokesman, said news of his principal’s involvement is “absolute falsehood”.
He said it is a normal practice in government for inventory of offices and residential quarters to be taken before an official leaves such premises. He said aides of the deputy governor had insisted on leaving the premises with items wrapped in unclear ownership.
He said the involvement of the commissioner of police was to restore law and order.