…hold him, two lawmakers hostage for four hours at Govt House gate
He can’t go to PDP with govt vehicle, says Ondo police commissioner
The feud between Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu and his deputy, Agboola Ajayi, worsened on Saturday as security agents prevented the state’s number two man from leaving the Government House premises.
The security men manning the gates to the Ondo Government House prevented Ajayi from leaving the premises in one of the vehicles attached to his office.
It was learnt that for over four hours on Saturday evening, policemen stopped the deputy governor from leaving the Government House for his personal residence within Akure, the state capital, over his alleged plans to dump the ruling All Progressives Congress for the rival Peoples Democratic Party.
Policemen led by the state’s Commissioner of Police, Mr. Bolaji Salami, were said to have prevented the deputy governor, who had planned to travel to Kiribo, in Eseodo Local Government Area of the state for his formal defection from APC to PDP, was prevented from leaving the Government House.
Ajayi, who was in company with two members of the House of Assembly, Festus Akingbaso and Rasheed Elegbeleye, representing Idanre and Akoko Northeast constituencies, respectively, was said to have been taken hostage for hours at the Government House gate inspite of the immunity he enjoys under the 1999 Constitution.
It was also learnt that security officers led by the Chief Security Officer to the governor told the deputy governor that he could not move his vehicles out of the Government’s House because it was late.
They were said to have told the deputy governor that he could only drive any of his vehicles out of the Government House on Sunday.
But Ajayi was said to have insisted that he would not leave the Government House Gate back to his official quarters unless he’s allowed to take his official and personal vehicles out of the Government House.
The two gates to the Government House were said to have been firmly locked while stern-looking policemen were stationed at the gate to prevent the deputy governor from leaving the premises.
Ajayi, it was learnt, however, said he wanted to remove his official vehicles from the Government House as he was no longer secure in the premises.
He was said to have alleged that suspected political thugs had been detailed to attack him and vandalise his property at the Government House the moment he declares for the rival political party.
But the state commissioner of police said he took the decision to stop Ajayi from leaving the Government House because he had perfected plan to dump the APC, and he had no right to go to the PDP gathering with government vehicles.
“We are not saying you should not go out. Since you are defecting, even your letter was brought to me in my office this evening that you are doing it (defecting) on Monday. What government is saying is that you cannot go out with official vehicles. This is politics, I am not saying it is right. This is Government House, the governor is the one talking, give me a few minutes, let me talk to my boss,” the police commissioner reportedly told the Ondo deputy governor.
Ajayi, however, expressed disappointment with the conduct of the state’s police commissioner and his men at the Government House.
He described the conduct of the Ondo police boss as unbecoming of a senior police officer.
The deputy governor said, “I have tried all constitutional and acceptable means to prevent this crisis. You are being used by the governor to deprive me of my constitutional right. I am highly disappointed that a policeman of your calibre can be used like this.
“I personally paid for this vehicle. You should not have put yourself in this mess. Let me tell you, you cannot repeat what happened in this state in 1983 because Ondo State people will resist you and your emperor with everything.”