Governorship poll: Ondo deputy gov dumps APC, joins PDP

Ahead of October 10 governorship poll, the Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Agboola Ajayi, has resigned his membership of the All Progressives Congress(APC).

After resigning from the APC, Ajayi picked membership card of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Sources said the deputy governor will officially defect to the PDP today at the party’s secretariat in Akure, the state capital.

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The feud between Governor Rotimi Akeredolu and Ajayi, has worsened following the deputy governor’s move to contest the governorship election.

Our correspondent reports that the feud reached a crescendo on Saturday when the state Commissioner of Police (CP), Bolaji Salami, prevented Ajayi, from leaving the government house with official vehicles.

Tope Okeowo, a spokesperson of Ajayi, said: “The two gates to the government house were under lock and key while stern-looking policemen were positioned at the gate to prevent the deputy governor from leaving the premises .”

Responding, the police boss said he was apolitical and that his job entailed him to protect lives and property of citizens of the state.

The CP, in a statement signed by the state’s police spokesman, ASP Tee-Leo Ikoro, explained that he went to the Ondo State Government House to settle a dispute between aides of Gov. Akeredolu and the deputy governor.

A viral video on the incident, according to the police boss, was an attempt to whip up sentiment and misunderstanding in the state.

Meanwhile, the PDP has told the APC and the police to stop fighting a lost battle, saying they could not stop mass defection of the APC to its fold across the country.

Condemning the police attack on Ajayi, the PDP in a statement Sunday by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, called on the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, to caution his men against dabbling into partisan politics.

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