By Fola James
The Deputy Governor of Ondo state, Agboola Ajayi has accused the police of working in concert with Governor Rotimi Akeredolu to intimidate him and his family and put their lives in danger.
Agboola accused the state commissioner of police, Agboola Salami for withdrawing his police security details, contrary to the provision of the nation’s constitution.
The development came on the crest of the face off with the Police Commissioner on Monday when he and his men stopped the deputy governor from packing his belongings out of the government house.
But Agbola said on Wednesday that if the plan was to threaten his family and intimidate him for leaving the APC, his opponents have failed.
He said “The Ondo State Deputy Governor, His Excellency, Agboola Ajayi wishes to raise alarm over the withdrawal of his police escort on the order of the Commissioner of Police, Mr Bolaji Salami putting his life, family and staff in danger.”
Ajayi’s decision to join the PDP few days ago, climaxed the protracted crisis of confidence between the two former allies which shortly after they both came to power in 2016, under a joint ticket.
Close watchers of the state said the duo went their separate ways after Governor Akeredolu discovered that his deputy was showing interest in his job as the sole occupier of the Alagbaka, Akure Government House.
The deputy governor has now formally joined the PDP and picked the nomination form to contest the party’s governorship primary.
He stated, in the statement signed by his chief press Secretary, Babatope Okeowo that it’s a waste of time for the governor and his co-travelers to try to stop him now.
Narrating his experience in the last few days, Agboola said the state Police Commissioner was wrong to withdraw his security as the Deputy Governor of the state who enjoys immunity.
According to him “This is the same Commissioner of Police that took the Deputy Governor hostage on Saturday 21st of June, 2020 for more than four hours at the Government House gate despite the fact that he enjoys immunity under the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
He said the plan to expose him to dangers will fail, calling on President Muhammadu Buhar and the Inspector General of Police to intervene in the matter.
He also warned that nothing must happen to him by virtue of withdrawal of his security details.
He said “We are not oblivious of their surreptitious move to undermine the security of the Deputy Governor and strip him of his security apparatus to make him vulnerable in order to carry out their evil agenda.
The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari GCFR, the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, and the Director General of State Security Service, Yusuf Magaji Bichi should be aware of this latest ugly development in Ondo State.
Should anything happen to the Deputy Governor, his family and staff, the Commissioner of Police in Ondo State should be held responsible.”
Meanwhile, Agboola said he remains the state’s number two citizen despite his defection to the PDP.
According to the 1999 Constitution (as amended), only the state’s house of Assembly can remove the deputy governor with the support of two third majority of the members.
Apart from fighting his deputy, Governor Akeredolu is not in the good books of the state lawmakers, analysts say, and they cannot support any move to remove his deputy.
