The embattled Ondo State Deputy Governor, Agboola Ajayi, on Tuesday accused Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of plotting to remove him illegally through the state House of Assembly.
In a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Tope Okeowo, the deputy alleged that Akeredolu was planning to induce the state lawmakers to remove him from office.
Ajayi joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Sunday.
About 24 hours before his defection to the PDP, security agents led by the state commissioner of police prevented the deputy governor from moving out his personal belongings from the state Government House in Akure, the state capital.
In the statement, Ajayi insisted that he had not violated any part of the constitution with his defection to the PDP.
The statement read: “We wish to state that the deputy governor is a tested politician of note, who is not unprepared for this type of kangaroo and infamous move from the desperate and drowning governor and his group.
“By joining PDP, Agboola Ajayi has not committed any impeachable offence. He has only exercised his constitutional right of freedom of association. Section 40 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).
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“For the avoidance of doubt, we state unequivocally that the governor and his allies do not have and cannot muster the requisite majority in the House of Assembly for the removal of the deputy governor under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 in any free, fair and transparent process.”
Meanwhile the state government had dismissed the deputy governor’s claim as frivolous.
In a statement issued by the state Commissioner for Information, Donald Ojogo, the government described as laughable Ajayi’s claim that the state lawmakers have been financial induced to oust him.
Ojogo said: “For anyone to aver that lawmakers have been financially induced is a gross display of emptiness. It becomes more laughable when such comes from someone who had boasted about having majority members in the Assembly.
“Clearly, while Governor Akeredolu does not believe in the inducement, it is left for our very reputable legislative arm to either confirm or debunk this spurious allegation.”
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