Barring any last minute change, the Deputy Governor of Ondo
State, Hon. Agboola Ajayi will in a matter of days move from the ruling All
Progressives Congress, APC to his erstwhile party, the opposition Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP.
The speculation that the Deputy Governor has been planning
to contest against his boss, Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu at the October 10,
2020, governorship polls came to fruition following secret meetings held over
the weekend with some party leaders within both the APC and the PDP.
It was also gathered that some APC stalwarts in the
State will be making the move with the deputy governor.
Notable among the stalwarts is Prince Sola Amodeni, a former
cabinet member who was sacked by Akeredolu in 2019, alongside two others.
At one of the meetings held separately at one of the
residence of a party chieftain in Ijapo Estate, Akure, Ondo State capital,
Ajayi was said to have disclosed to the party leaders of his planned move to
the PDP as he sought their support ahead of the move.
Recently there had been cold feud between the governor and
his deputy, with the battle taken to the camps of both leaders.
The rift between them began shortly after the 2019 general
elections following the alleged suspension of the governor from the party for
alleged anti-party activities.
The deputy governor was accused to have been behind the
purported suspension. He was said to have been confronted by the governor with
evidences of his meetings with top members of the party in Abuja.
Also, when the governor was ill last year following his
prolonged stay in Abuja for treatment, the camp of the governor alleged that
the deputy governor had mounted pressure on the House of Assembly to activate
the doctrine of necessity in order to make him the Acting Governor.
Giving details of the meeting held in Ijapo, a source who
craved anonymity stated that Ajayi’s meeting with them was basically on the
move to PDP as he is soliciting the support of his allies.
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“The deputy governor invited us to the meeting. He is
actually looking for confidants that will make the move with him to PDP and
some allies that will stay put in APC but will work underground for him.
“He lamented during the meeting that APC is not a party
which we all know ourselves. Akeredolu not being a partyman also contributes to
the problems in the party in the state.
“Agbo also told us in confidence that Olusola Oke spoke with
him on his ambition but that he assured him that if APC gives him the ticket,
he will work for him.
“I think his ultimate aim at present is to ensure that
Akeredolu is not re-elected, that he told us too.
“He didn’t come out straight to us of his plan to contest
under the PDP but I think he hinted one of us that the PDP ticket is already
within his grasp.”
Meanwhile, there are indications that Ajayi might pair with
Eyitayo Jegede, the PDP governorship candidate during the 2016 polls.
Reacting to development, the National Vice Chairman of PDP,
South West, Eddy Olafeso stated that Ajayi was not yet to become member of the
party. He noted that membership procedure is well stated in the party’s
constitution.
On his part, the Chief Press Secretary to the Deputy
Governor, Babatope Okeowo described the purported move of his boss as
speculations.
“All these are speculations and we don’t react to
speculations. When it is time we will cross the bridge.
“What I know is that he is the Deputy Governor of Ondo State
and Deputy to Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, so any other speculations we
don’t react to it,” Okeowo said.
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