By Ayodele Oni
The Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Agboola Ajayi, has revealed why he fell out with Governor Rotimi Akeredolu. He alleged that between them arose from the alleged mismanagement of money meant for the development of Oil producing areas in the State.
Ajayi has, therefore, asked the Governor to account for the funds, a request a source close to The Governor dismissed as “bunkum”, adding: “On that The Governor is as clean as a whistle”.
Ajayi also dusmissed the widely speculated alliance between the People’s Democratic Party, (PDP), and the Zenith Labour Party,(ZLP), ahead of the October 10 Governorship election in the state as a ruse.
Speculations have been rude on social media since Monday that a fusion was imminent between the two rival parties as a prelude to dethroning the ruling All Progressives Congress,(APC) in the state.
But Ahayi, who is, also, the candidate of the ZLP Agboola Ajayi, said there was no such alliance between the two parties.
Ajayi, disclosed these while addressing party members at Igbokoda, Agadagba and Igbekebo in Ilaje and Eseodo Local Government areas of the State as part of his campaign tour.
He told the people of the coastal region that the 13 percent oil derivation meant for the development the area was being diverted by the present administration of APC.
He asked the Governor and the Management of the Ondo State Oil Producing Area Development Commission,(OSOPADEC), to account for the billions of Naira from the 13 percent that had accrued to the State from the Federation account.
Ajayi promised to prevent the stealing of funds meant for the development of the Ilaje and Eseodo Local Government if elected as Governor of the State.
He also promised to increase the allocation meant for the development of the region, saying the present 40 percent out of the 13 percent for the State is grossly inadequate.
Ajayi said one of the reasons he fell out with Akeredolu was the mismanagement of the fund accruing to the state for the development of the oil rich region.
He promised to address the difficult terrain of both Ilaje and Eseodo if given the opportunity to govern the State.
“God will not forgive those who steal our fund in OSOPADEC. It is unfortunate that this Government cannot point to one project executed with our fund in the past three and half years.”
Ajayi fell out with the Governor whose Deputy he is. He resigned from the APC, but refused to quit as the Deputy Governor, a situation not a few people have described as immoral.
In quitting the APC, he first joined the PDP, but quit the the party when he was unable to pick its Governorship ticket. Thereafter, he joined the ZLP, where he picked their ticket without stress.
