Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, on Tuesday, sacked all the aides to the state’s Deputy Governor, Hon. Agboola Ajayi.
The governor also relieved the aides to the wife of the deputy governor of their appointments.
This is coming barely 24 hours after Ajayi resigned from the ruling All Progressives Congress and defected to the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party.
The deputy governor has insisted that he would not resign his position, despite alleged intimidation.
But the state APC Chairman, Ade Adetimehin, has disagreed with Ajayi and urged him to resign his position honourably after defecting from the ruling party.
But the sack of the deputy governor’s aides was contained in two separate statements signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Segun Ajiboye.
According to one of the statements, ” The Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, has relieved Mr. Allen Sowore of his appointment with immediate effect.
“Until his sack, Mr. Sowore was a Special Assistant to the governor on New Media. ”
“Mr. Sowore is advised to submit all government’s properties in his possession to the Chief of Staff to the Governor.”
The second statement came hours after the first announced the sack of another six aides, including that of the deputy governor’s wife and it reads, ”The Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, has relieved the following aides of their appointments.
“The affected aides are: Mr. Olomu Bayo, Special Assistant, Special Duties, Mr. Olawale Abolade Mukaila, Special Assistant, Photography, Mr. Babatope Okeowo, Deputy Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Samuel Sam Ogunmusi, Personal Assistant, (Deputy Governor), Mr. Tokunbo Omotunmise TK Phobia, Special Assistant to the wife of the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Erifeyiwa Shola Akinnugba, (Photography, wife of the Deputy Governor )
“The affected aides are advised to submit all government’s properties in their possession to the Chief of Staff to the Governor.”
Chief of Staff to the Governor, Chief Olugbenga Ale, was said to have invited the sacked aides to a meeting.
The invitation letter was signed by the Director (Finance& Admin/Political & Economic Affairs), Somo Ogunlade
It reads, ” l have been directed to invite your good self to a meeting with the Chief of Staff to Mr. Governor in his office scheduled on Tuesday,23rd June 2020 by 12.00 noon.”
The deputy governor’s aides did not, however, attend the meeting following intelligence reports of an alleged plan by political thugs to attack them.
But an aide to the governor said the meeting was aimed at reassigning them, but their decision to shun the meeting earned them sack by the government.