Ondo 2020: Akeredolu’s Deputy may resign, join PDP

Ondo Deputy Governor, Hon Ajayi Agboola, may resign next week. Sources said the resignation was to enable him defect to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) where he is expected to contest for the governorship.

Relationship between Hon Agboola and Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has since collapsed over issues of trust and betrayal.

It was gathered some APC lawmakers in Ondo House of Assembly would also resign their membership of the APC and join the PDP.

Candidate of the PDP in the 2016 governorship election, Eyitayo Jegede, hinted on the defection of Agboola last week when he picked his nomination form. Jegede stated the coming of Agboola to the PDP “demonstrated that the APC has collapsed and Agboola needs to look for a good house.”

According to Jegede: “If APC was and is good, Agboola Ajayi would not leave APC. If PDP is bad, he would not say he is coming to PDP.

“The party constitution is very clear. He would go to his ward and register. He will go to the National Working Committee and seek for waiver. When he finishes that, he would come here and pay administrative charges.

“When he is done with that, he would pay for nomination form if he wants to contest. When he is done with that, he would now go and campaign and explain to people what he is bringing afresh to the PDP and electoral delegate would decide who will fly the flag of the party.”

Agboola’s spokesman, Babatope Okeowo, said his boss does not need to resign as Deputy to contest the governorship election. Okeowo said it was not true that his boss would resign this week.

He said his boss could contest whether in the PDP or the APC without resigning from office. “No where in the constitution that says the Deputy Governor should resign if he wants to contest as governor. Whoever is alluding that should go and read the constitution.”

Ondo Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Donald Ojogo, in an interview last week said Akeredolu was not interested in impeaching or removing the Deputy Governor.

He said: “Mr. Governor believes that whoever wants to leave his government can leave at any time. He will not raise a finger to push anybody out.

“If the governor is having enough majority, a comfortable majority that is more than two-third in the House of Assembly and he has no problem dealing with them, then why must he go-ahead that they must impeach someone?

“In the history of Nigeria, I can say that the Office of the Deputy Governor of Ondo State, I’m not talking about the personality but the office of the Deputy Governor became more powerful and more influential from 2017 till date under Akeredolu. Since Akeredolu came on board, the office of the Deputy Governor became more powerful than it was.

“And if actually, they have parted ways, it will be unfortunate and only betrayal of trust and confidence, could have been the reason.”