Ondo deputy governor dumps APC for PDP

Ondo State Deputy Governor, Agboola Ajayi, on Sunday dumped the ruling All Progressives Congress for the Peoples Democratic Party.

Ajayi resigned his membership of the APC on Sunday at his country home in Kiribo, Ward 2, Apoi, in Ese-Odo Local Government Area of the state.

While addressing party supporters, the deputy governor said he was happy to be back to the PDP.

Ajayi and his principal Rotimi Akeredolu have been at loggerheads over the coming governorship election in the state.

On Saturday, Ajayi was allegedly prevented by the Commissioner of Police, Bolaji Salami, from moving out of the Government House in Akure the state capital.

The police boss in the state said he recently caught wind of Ajayi’s moves to defect from the APC to PDP, an action he said should render him unqualified for some official benefits.

In response, Ajayi argued that he ought to enjoy the perks of office as an incumbent deputy governor. He said he used his personal funds to buy the Toyota Hilux truck from which he was being denied access.

After several hours of delay, the deputy governor eventually left the government house to his private residence in another vehicle.

Akeredolu in a statement signed by his spokesperson, Segun Ajiboye, earlier on Sunday, said reports linking him to the incident were false. He said he did not ask the commissioner of police to restrain his deputy from leaving the Government House.

Ajiboye said Ajayi’s aides were intercepted when they wanted to leave the government house “with items wrapped in unclear ownership as late as 11 p.m.”