Ondo 2020: Akeredolu sacks Ajayi’s aides
The Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, on Tuesday, sacked all aides attached to his deputy, Mr. Agboola Ajayi.
Recall that Ajayi at the weekend defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and was welcomed to PDP by its national chairman, Uche Secondus, and other top officials of the opposition party on Monday in Akure, the Ondo State capital.
The Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Segun Ajiboye, confirmed the sack of the deputy governor’s aides to newsmen.
The sacked aides are Olomu Bayo, special assistant, special duties; Allen Sowore, special assistant media; Olawale Mukaila, special assistant, photography, Babatope Okeowo, deputy chief press secretary; Samuel Ogunmusi, personal assistant, (deputy governor), Omotunmise Tokunbo, special assistant to the wife of the deputy governor; and Erifeyiwa Akinnugba, photography, wife of the deputy governor.
Akeredolu’s chief press secretary, who signed the statement, directed the affected aides to submit all government’s property in their possession to the chief of staff to the governor.
Speaking on the development, spokesperson to the embattled deputy governor, Mr. Babatope Okeowo said: “He has fired all of us but the deputy governor reappointed all of us immediately. Nothing lost”.
He said that all the aides remain loyal to the deputy governor.
On Saturday, Ajayi was prevented from leaving the Government House in Akure in an official vehicle by the state’s commissioner of police, Bolaji Salami.
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Salami said he recently caught wind of Ajayi’s moves to defect from the APC to PDP, an action he said should render him unqualified for some official benefits.
In response, Ajayi argued that he ought to enjoy the perks of office as an incumbent deputy governor. He said he used his personal funds to buy the Toyota Hilux truck from which he was being denied access.
The deputy governor had been at loggerheads with his party over the coming governorship election in the state before finally leaving the party on Sunday.
He, however, said he would not resign as deputy governor because he was elected on a joint ticket and would love to serve his people.
