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Tag: Agboola Ajayi

  • Ondo 2020: My deputy is highest paid in Nigeria, yet he betrayed me – Akeredolu

    Ondo 2020: My deputy is highest paid in Nigeria, yet he betrayed me – Akeredolu

    Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has said he ignored warnings about his deputy, Agboola Ajayi and ensured he was well paid to make him comfortable.

    He said he gave him free hands to operate but was later betrayed .

    The governor, who spoke at a radio programme in Akure, said his deputy does not want to be patient.

    “No deputy governor has collected what he was collecting in the history of the state. I gave him N13million monthly. His predecessors did not collect as much as that. No deputy governor collects as much as that in Nigeria. I gave him enough room to operate, yet he betrayed me.”

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that both incumbent governor Akeredolu and his estranged deputy, Agboola are candidates in the October 10 governorship election in the state. While Akeredolu is APC candidate, Agboola is Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) candidate.

  • Why I joined ZLP: Ondo Deputy Governor opens up officially

    Why I joined ZLP: Ondo Deputy Governor opens up officially

    Ondo State Deputy Governor, Mr Agboola Ajayi said he joined the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), to give hope to the masses of the state ahead of the October 10 gubernatorial election.

    Ajayi stated this on Friday in Akure when he was welcomed officially into the party by the Chairman of the party, Mr Joseph Akinlaja.

    Recall that Ajayi had defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic (PDP), where he lost the party’s ticket to the party’s flag-bearer, Mr Eyitayo Jegede.

    Ajayi later joined the ZLP and had just been welcomed to the party, hoping to become the flag-bearer of the party in the Oct. 10 governorship election.

    “I do not depend on anybody. We depend on God, I will not shame you.

    “We own this state together, I have come to join ZLP to give hope to the hopeless, to change the narrative and I have come with all my supporters,” he said.

    Ajayi said plans to rig the coming election would not work, urging his supporters to defend their votes come Oct.10.

    The deputy governor said he was humbled by the call to service by the people of the state and critical stakeholders to rescue the ship of the state from sinking further under Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu.

    The Chairman of the Party, Mr Joseph Akinlaja, while welcoming Ajayi to the party, urged the Independent National Electoral Commission to be fair in the conduct of the forthcoming gubernatorial election to avoid induced violence.

    Akinlaja appealed to the youth not to allow themselves to be used as thugs, urging politicians to moderate their activities not to encourage violence in any form, saying, `lives of our people matter’.

  • BREAKING: Ondo Deputy Governor, Agboola Ajayi, officially dumps PDP for ZLP

    BREAKING: Ondo Deputy Governor, Agboola Ajayi, officially dumps PDP for ZLP

    Barely two months after joining the Peoples Democratic Party in Ondo, deputy governor of the state, Agboola Ajayi, has resigned his membership of the party.

    Ajayi resigned from the party on Sunday night after he lost the bid to secure the PDP governorship ticket during the primary election.

    The deputy governor handed over his letter of resignation to Festus Oboro, Chairman of the PDP in Apoi Ward II of Ese-Odo LGA of the state.

    Mr Allen Sowore, media aide to the deputy governor, confirmed the resignation of Ajayi through a statement on Monday.

    The statement reads, “The deputy governor appreciates the national leadership and members of the party for their warm reception and acceptance in the short period he rejoined the party.”

    SaharaReporters gathered that the deputy governor was now set to officially join Zenith Labour Party where he has been assured of the party’s ticket to contest in the October 10, 2020 governorship election in the state.

    Ajayi had been meeting with the immediate-past governor of the state, Olusegun Mimiko, who is a major financier of the ZLP.

  • ZLP clears Ondo deputy gov, Agboola Ajayi as governorship candidate

    ZLP clears Ondo deputy gov, Agboola Ajayi as governorship candidate

    The National Executive Committee of the Zenith Labour Party has cleared the Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Mr Agboola Ajayi, as its candidate in the October 10 governorship election.

    Ajayi, who lost the primary of the Peoples Democratic Party to Mr Eyitayo Jegede, was said to have finalised arrangements with the national leadership of the ZLP to contest the election under the platform of the party.

    He was said to be planning to officially resign his membership of the PDP and announce his defection to the ZLP.

    Confirming the development, the Ondo State Chairman of the ZLP, Mr Joseph Akinlaja, stated that the clearance of Ajayi had been done, adding that the deputy governor would formally join the party this week.

  • Ondo 2020: Akeredolu announces running mate after Deputy’s detour

    Ondo 2020: Akeredolu announces running mate after Deputy’s detour

    Governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu has picked and official announced his running mate for the October 10 election to hold in the State.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Governor Akeredolu picked Lucky Aiyedatiwa as his running mate for the election and announced him via his official Twitter page on Wednesday.

    The choice of Akeredolu was communicated to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday, TNG learnt.

    Ayedatiwa is a former representative of the State on the Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

    He is a native of Obe-Nla, an oil-bearing community in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State.

    Recall that Akeredolu’s deputy, Agboola Ajayi recently decamped from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). Efforts to impeach Ajayi as Deputy Governor had failed.

    However, his bid to contest the governorship election hit the walls when he failed in the PDP’s primary that produced Eyitayo Jegede as governorship candidate.

    Meanwhile, Akeredolu has expressed optimism that he would win the October 10 Ondo state governorship poll.

    Akeredolu said this shortly after meeting with the APC Election Appeal Committee at the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja on Monday.

    He advised the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Eyitayo Jegede, to focus on issue based campaign without resorting to violence.

    “Jegede is my friend. We are colleagues and both members of inner bar, I don’t have anything against him and I just pray that our campaign should be issue based without violence.

    “I know that he (Jegede) knows that it will not be easy for him. Yes, it may not be easy for me to win, but by God’s grace, I am going to win.

    “I can assure you that as it was in the beginning, so it shall be now and forever more. We will win this election by the grace of God,”Akeredolu said.

    The governor said the defection of his deputy, Mr Agboola Ajayi, to the opposition PDP would not affect his chances at the poll.

    “For me, the deputy leaving the APC to return to the PDP is good radiance to bad rubbish.

    “We thought we could accommodate him in the APC, but since he returned to where he truly belonged, it is all well and good. I always wish people the best I can.

    “From what I have been told, he has lost the ticket and I pray he won’t jump to another party, but if he does, all well and good.

    “However, for his own sake and as a big brother, I will advise him to stay with Jegede and support him very well,” Akeredolu said.

    According to him, Ajayi has made a case that he helped me to win, let him help Jegede to win this time around and that will confirm that he is popular.

    “What I know is that he is of no importance, he has no hold on any local government, I can assure you that when the election comes, I will defeat him in his local government and he will never recover from it.

    “Let me advise him again to stay with Jegede and let us see what happens,”the governor said.

    He said he was at the National Secretariat to respond to some issues at the Election Appeal Committee.

    “I am here at the secretariat because people lodged appeal against my election and emergence from the party primaries and that is why I came around to answer the committee.

    “I was told that two aspirants approached the committee to file appeal against me and my mission here is to reply to those appeal,” he said.

  • I made a wrong choice picking Ajayi as running mate in 2016 – Akeredolu

    I made a wrong choice picking Ajayi as running mate in 2016 – Akeredolu

    Ondo Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has said he made a wrong choice in picking Hon Agboola Ajayi as his running mate in 2016.

    Ajayi recently defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) where he is seeking to contest the governorship election.

    Akeredolu spoke at Igbekebo, headquarters of Ese-Odo local government during his “meet the delegates” tour ahead of next Monday primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    He said he was happy Ajayi showed his true colour at what he termed the right time and described his exit from the party as a cleansing for better performance of the party.

    Akeredolu urged the people not to bother about Ajayi and thanked them for not leaving the APC with Ajayi.

    Akeredolu urged the party delegates to vote for him at the primary and assured he was prepared to do more for the people of the state.

  • BREAKING: Ondo lawmakers serve Deputy Governor, Agboola Ajayi impeachment notice

    BREAKING: Ondo lawmakers serve Deputy Governor, Agboola Ajayi impeachment notice

    Lawmakers in the Ondo State House of Assembly have served an impeachment notice on the state Deputy Governor, Agboola Ajayi.

    Ajayi was accused of gross misconduct.

    He resigned from the ruling APC and defected to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party but insisted on remaining in office.

    It was gathered that 14 lawmakers supported the impeachment of Ajayi.

    There were however heavy security presence at the Ondo State House as the lawmakers were holding plenary.

    The lawmakers had resumed from recess on June 6th and placed an advertorial calling on members to resume sitting.

    To however stall any impeachment move, Ajayi rushed to an Abuja High Court where he filed seeking to stop the impeachment proceeding and enforced his fundamental right of association.

    Other defendants in the suit were the Inspector General of Police, State Commissioner Of Police, Department of State Services (DSS), and the Speaker of the Assembly, Mr David Oleyeloogun.

  • Ondo 2020: PDP disqualifies two, clears Akeredolu’s deputy, six others

    Ondo 2020: PDP disqualifies two, clears Akeredolu’s deputy, six others

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has disqualified two of its nine aspirants jostling to clinch its ticket for the gubernatorial election.

    The chairman of the screening panel and former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, made this known at the end of the exercise.

    Dogara stated that the disqualified candidates could go to the appeal panel if they feel unsatisfied.

    Aspirants screened for the July 22nd governorship primaries include Eyitayo Jegede, Sen. Boluwaji Kunlere, deputy governor of the state, Agboola Ajayiand Dr. Eddy Olafeso. Others were Ben Banji Okunomo, Bode Ayorinde, Otunba Bamidele Akingboye, Godday Erewa and Sola Ebiseeni.

  • APC begs Ondo Deputy Governor to return

    APC begs Ondo Deputy Governor to return

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has called on the Ondo State Deputy Governor, Mr Agboola Ajayi, who officially decamped to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) on Sunday, to return to the party.

    This was contained in a statement by Mr Alex Kalejaiye, the State Publicity Secretary of the party, on Monday in Akure.

    The statement noted that APC was willing to reabsorb the Deputy Governor and his supporters whenever they opted to retrace their steps to the party.

    The Publicity Secretary in the statement said that the APC received his defection with mixed feelings.

    According to him, APC in the State views the development as worrisome and unfortunate that the journey commenced in one accord a few years back could go awry so soon.

    However, the party urged the Deputy Governor to resign honourably if he won’t return to the APC.

    “We wish Ajayi had not taken this decision, after series of efforts and attempts by royal fathers and party leaders, from within and outside the state, to forestall this migration.

    “The State Working Committee of APC is taken aback by a reported statement credited to Ajayi that he would remain the Deputy Governor as long as his people have not asked him to quit. This statement is vexatious,” Kalajaiye said.

    He added: “It is imperative to remind him that he ran on an APC ticket given to Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, and both were sponsored by the party.

    “Now that he chooses to defect, the party advises Agboola to tow the path of wisdom, and resign honourably as the Deputy Governor of Ondo State.

    “Ondo State APC wishes him and his followers a safe trip to the PDP”.

  • [TNG Analysis] Ondo 2020: Another wrong signal from APC as Agboola Ajayi shifts base to PDP

    [TNG Analysis] Ondo 2020: Another wrong signal from APC as Agboola Ajayi shifts base to PDP

    Ondo and Edo States seem to have their political navels enjoined as they tend to share same political affinity.

    The defection of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu’s deputy, Hon Agboola Ajayi to the opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP clearly indicates that just like Edo all is not well in Ondo APC.

    Going down memory lane in 2007 when the then President Umaru Yar’dua and the PDP party felt the election that brought it into power was flawed, the need to trade some states came to fore.

    In Ondo Olusegun Agagu had emerged governor and in Edo Senator Oserheimen Osunbor too had defeated Adams Oshiomhole of the ACN.

    PDP probably feeling guilty concorted all manners of judicial methods alongside some political leaders and traded both states.

    By the end of 2008, Oshiomhole and Olusegun Mimiko of Labour Party, LP had emerged governors of both states.

    Oshiomhole ensured he crushed all those that brought him to power and even went to Ogbe Stadium to bury apostle of godfatherism in the state, the Late political sage, Chief Tony Anenih who supported him through the backdoor.

    Both states are already being haunted by the ghosts of political and judicial manouvres of 2007 through 2008.

    Last Sunday, Agboola decided to finally jump ship by pitching tent with PDP leaving behind Akeredolu that they both had a joint ticket in the APC, a clear signal that the APC is no longer at ease in Ondo just like Edo.

    This is coming exactly one week after Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki dumped the APC pitching his tent with the PDP.

    The APC at the national level is facing leadership crisis as it has not been able to pick an acting chairman after Oshiomhole was suspended by the Appeal Court after his screening committee disqualified Obaseki from partaking in the APC guber primary in the state.

    In the case of Agboola, he has not been suspended or disqualified but sensing the danger ahead and the envisaged outcome of whatever structure the APC put in place the man simply shifted his base to PDP.

    Agboola is said to enjoy top grassroots followership in the state which he used to support Akeredolu in the last guber polls in the Sunshine State.

    If he gets the PDP final nod, the APC that is already having cracks at both state and national levels may just wave bye bye to both states just the way PDP deliberately sold them to the opposition in 2007.