Ondo Deputy Governor Ajayi dumps APC, joins PDP

The deputy governor of Ondo State has resigned from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and has joined the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The PDP announced on Sunday that Agboola Ajayi picked his membership card at Ward 2, Apoi, in Ese Odo local government area of the State.

“The Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Hon. Agboola Ajayi has resigned his membership of the failed @OfficialAPCNg,” PDP wrote on Twitter.

“Hon. Agboola after his resignation, picked the @OfficialPDPNig membership card at Ward 2, Apoi, in Ese Odo Local Government Area of Ondo State.”

This is coming after the deputy governor was allegedly prevented from exiting the Government House over fears he would switch his political allegiance.

But Governor Rotimi Akeredolu accused Ajayi of trying to move out government property from the Government House ahead of his planned defection to the PDP.

The governor’s aide on New Media, Richard Olatunde, claimed in a statement that Ajayi’s aides were caught on Saturday night with some furniture and a television set belonging to the state government.

“They were made to return these items by the security men at the gate and instead they called the deputy governor, who later came with aides.

“The governor is not stopping anyone from moving personal effects out of the government house but why must it be at night? Why not do it in broad daylight,” he said.

Also, Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr Segun Ajiboye, denied that Akeredolu stopped his deputy from leaving the Government House.

He said: “It should be placed on record that it is a time-tested code in government’s business for officials to take inventory of offices and quarters before and after an official is moving in or out of offices or quarters.

“But he [Ajayi] has a duty to be firm and dispassionate in exercising the roles assigned to him.”