Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo state and his estranged deputy governor, Hon Agboola Ajayi on Monday, tango over the withdrawal of the latter’s security details by the Police.
This is coming as the impeachment meeting scheduled for the VIP lodge of the government house failed to hold as only nine out of the 19 invited members of the assembly showed up.
Another meeting was yesterday rescheduled for a popular hotel in ljapo area of Akure metropolis.
Those advocating for the sack of the deputy are optimistic that they would get his booted out by all means soonest.
Ajayi had last week Wednesday raised the alarm that the state police commissioner Bolaji Salami had withdrawn his security detail on the order of Governor Akeredolu.
A week after the withdrawal, the Media Adviser to the deputy governor Allen Sowore said yesterday in a statement that the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu has ordered the Commissioner of Police in Ondo State, Bolaji Salami, to restore the security details of the state’s deputy governor, Hon. Agboola Ajayi, with immediate effect.
Sowore said that ” The IGP’s directive was contained in a memo addressed to the Police Commissioner through the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Operations, Force Headquarters Abuja.
“The memo with Ref. No CB: 2002/DOPS/FHQ/ABJ/VOL/77/168 was signed on behalf of the IGP through Austine Agbonlahor, Assistant Inspector-General of Police.
“The security details attached Ajayi and his office were withdrawn on the orders of the Commissioner of Police in the state last week Wednesday.
But governor Rotimi Akeredolu in a swift response by his Chief Press Secretary, Segun Ajiboye entitled “Another Lie From A Sinker” said the deputy governor was economical with the truth.
Ajiboye in a statement said “we deliberately allowed the additional lies in respect of the “reinstated security of Agboola Ajayi, to fly. Let’s know better, who this character is.
“He applied for six Policemen, instead of the statutory eight for a deputy Governor on the 10th of June and the IGP approved via Letter No: CB0900/DOPS/ FHQ/ABJ/VOL/60/263 dated same 10th June 2020.
” lt goes to show that none of his security was withdrawn as he made the innocent public to believe. He applied for the six, got approval, and sent those he doesn’t “trust” back to the Government House Security structure, then went ahead to raise alarm.
“He disengaged his ADC, Dele, another Sgt Kasali by himself and cried foul. A sinking man indeed. All the security attached to his official residence has remained intact, none was removed or withdrawn.
“The questions are: when did he apply? When was the alarm raised? Was its approval of his letter that was sent or an order to reinstate his allegedly withdrawn security?
Meanwhile, reacting to the failed impeachment meeting scheduled for the government house on Sunday, the media adviser to Ajayi, Allen Sowore said “the plan by the government to use 19 out the 23 APC members of the State House of Assembly to impeach the Deputy Governor, Agboola Ajayi suffered a dilapidating setback owing to the resolve by the majority of the Honourable Members of the State House of Assembly to uphold the sanctity of the hallowed chamber.
Sowore said that “The meeting scheduled to hold by 9:00 pm on Sunday, 28th June 2020, at the Government House Ground did not yield the desired results as only nine members showed interest to attend.
“The Deputy Governor commends the integrity and courage displayed by the majority of the Honourable Members for shunning all entreaties, inducement, and intimidation coming from the Chief Executive.
“The office of the Deputy Governor is fully aware of the latest plan to move the next meeting of the impeachment plots to Heritage Hotel, Ijapo by 11:00 pm on Monday 29th June 2020.
“Appropriately, we call on the security agents and most importantly the good people of Ondo State to be vigilant and watchful of this latest surreptitious moves by Mr. Governor to illegally remove the Deputy Governor at all cost for no other reason than the exercise of his constitutional right of freedom of association – by moving from the All Progressives Congress, (APC) to the People’s Democratic Party,(PDP).
Meanwhile, the leadership of the APC APC Unity Forum in the State has vowed to continue with the court case against the Ade Adetimehin led State exco of the party.
A member of the Forum’s legal team told newsmen in Akure that “there has not been any contrary directive from the deputy Senate leader, Ajayi Borofice to that effect.
“Whether the president directs or not is none of our business. What was he doing up till this moment? As long as our leader, the deputy Senate leader, Borofice has not said anything to the contrary, we are forging ahead.
“All we know is that we shall pursue our case against Akeredolu and his Adetimehin led State Exco to a logical conclusion. If the villa thinks they can dictate to us here, they are joking. We will not withdraw our case in court.
The member pointed out that “It appears the villa has capitulated to the governors and if that is what they want by withdrawing all cases, it is very unfortunate.
Source: Vanguard