Recently, the duo of Mr. Agboola Ajayi; the 'Deputy Governor' of Ondo State and Hon. Ifedayo Sunday Abegunde, the erstwhile Secretary to Ondo State government were in the news both print, social media and broadcast for a wrong reasons. While Mr. Agboola Ajayi defected to the opposition party, arising from irreconcilable differences with the governor, Hon. Abegunde resigned his appointment as the Secretary to the state government, citing the inability of Mr Governor to open the state vault for him to maintain his political supporters.
The reasons why the former defected to opposition party and the latter resigned his position, is not the focus of this article, since the constitution of the federal Republic of Nigeria allows political gladiators to cross carpet from one political party to another, or resign their political appointments for whatsoever reasons. However, the bone of contention here, is the manner the duo have tried in vain, to malign the personality of Mr. Governor just to score cheap political popularity.
It is a known fact, that the choice of Mr. Agboola Ajayi as the Deputy Governor of Ondo State in 2016 gubernatorial election did not receive the overwhelm supports of APC party faithfuls. It was alleged that he could not be trusted and that he has a penchant for betraying people. But Mr. Governor in his characteristics manner of given people opportunity to prove themselves, insists on the choice of Mr. Agboola Ajayi as his running mate in APC, a party which he, Agboola was a total stranger. Alas, he proves Mr. Governor wrong by clandestinely scheming to make the Ondo State House of Assembly declared him as the Acting Governor by force, when the Governor was indisposed.
When President Muhammadu Buhari was terribly sick, the Vice president; Professor Yemi Osinbajo stood gallantly behind his Boss and carried out government activities effectively with the knowledge and approval of Mr. President. No wonder, when the President returned for his medical leave, he publicly appreciate the rare loyalty displayed by his Vice president. But can we say that of Mr. Agboola Ajayi in Ondo state ? Absolutely and capital No! It was the same Agboola Ajayi who erroneously fed the public the news of the purported suspension of Mr. Governor from the All progressive Party (APC) by the sacked Adams Oshiomole led National working committee (NWC). The treacherous attitude and activities of Mr. Agboola Ajayi was known to everybody within the corridor of power in Akure and his defection to the opposition party was seen as good riddance to bad rubbish by many party faithfuls who could not understand why Mr. Governor continued to accommodate him in his administration despite Agboola's open betrayal.
Hon. Ifedayo Sunday Abegunde accusation that Mr. Governor did not gave him enough money to maintain his political supporters was the most absurd, disgusting and preposterous of all. This is a man that was on political descending when Mr. Governor gave him a life line by making him the Secretary to the Ondo State government. Not only that, during the congress of the party immediately after the victory of the party in 2016 gubernatorial election in the state, he was allowed by the magnanimity of Mr. Governor to install almost all his followers as party executives in both Akure North & South Local government. He came back to openly betrayed Mr. Governor by affiliating publicly with political enemies of Mr. Governor.
Dissecting the accusations of both Mr. Agboola Ajayi and Hon. Ifedayo Abegunde against the Governor, it gladdens my heart that none of them have accused Mr. Governor of financial misappropriation or recklessness. In fact, Abegunde publicly informed the good people of Ondo State that Mr. Governor is building road networks across the state. Then, what was their grouses with the Governor ? They prefer Mr. Governor to share the meagre resources of the state with them than building schools, roads and payment of workers' salary. It is on record today, that Akeredolu administration has constructed and renovated over 800 public primary schools across the three senatorial districts of the state, built network of roads across the state, employed jobless youth and has turned the state into industrial hub.
The good people of Ondo state appreciate the performance of the Governor Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) led administration and it is certain that they will surely reward him with a return ticket. The accusations of the likes of Mr. Agboola Ajayi and Hon. Abegunde can not stop the reelection of Mr. Governor because his second term of office is a divine project. Mr. Governor has done credibly well compared to the past administration and hence, he deserves the support of all of us to ensure that he returns to complete his good work.
Kindly support and vote for Governor Rotimi Odunayo Akeredolu (SAN), as Governor Ondo State comes October 20, 2020.
Comrade ADEDEJI Adeniyi ( Africa) is a political activist and social critics. He writes from Owo, Ondo State.
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