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Ondo Commissioner of Police Bolaji Salami on Saturday night led a team of policemen to stop Deputy Governor Agboola Ajayi from leaving the Government House with official vehicles.
Ajayi had wanted to leave the Government House with the vehicles, claiming he no longer feel safe in the premises.
But the Police boss stopped him, asking Ajayi to return on Sunday because he had orders from above not to allow him leave with the vehicles.
Ondo CP bars Deputy Gov from leaving with official vehicles
AUTHENTIC NEWS GIANT learnt that Agboola Ajayi attempted to leave with the vehicles preparatory to his anticipated defection to the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) on Monday.
There had been no love lost between him and Governor Rotimi Akeredolu.
Ajayi is expected to contest the governorship election with Akeredolu on the platform of the PDP.
It is believed he would resign from the All Progressives Congress(APC) at Kiribo, in Eseodo Local Government Area on Monday and declare for the PDP.
He has however ruled out resigning as Deputy Governor.
An alteraction broke out between him and the Police Chief over attempted removal of the official vehicles.
In a widely circulated video, the CP was heard to have said: “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 (decamping) 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 few minutes, let me talk to my boss.”
But Ajayi replied, cautioning against repeat of 1983 political violence, alleging suspected political thugs had been detailed to attack him and vandalised his property at the Government House once he declares for the PDP.
Flanked by two members of the House of Assembly, Mr Festus Akingbaso and Rasheed Elegbeleye, the Deputy Governor queried the Police chief: “Are you a member of the PDP or APC? It is you stopping me now. What is your concern about my leaving from one place to another? Do you know how many hours I have spent here? I personally paid for these vehicles. You should not have put yourselve in mess.
“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.
“Let me tell you, you cannot repeat what happened in this state in 1983 because Ondo State people will resist you and your and your emperor with everything.”
Akeredolu: I didn’t ask the police to restrict movement of my deputy
Rotimi Akeredolu, governor of Ondo state, says he is not involved in the drama that ensued between Agboola Ajayi, his deputy, and the police.
Police officers led by Bolaji Salami, commissioner of police, prevented the deputy governor from moving out of his official quarters at the government house premises, on Saturday night.
Agboola and some of his personal aides were trying to move out their properties out of the government house when they were stopped.
Some of the supporters of Ajayi had said the police acted on the orders of the governor.
But in a statement on Sunday, Segun Ajiboye, Akeredolu’s spokesman, described the governor’s alleged involvement in the saga as “absolute falsehood”.
He said it is a normal practice in government for inventory of offices and residential quarters to be taken before an official leaves such premises.
Ajiboye said it is “worrisome” that aides of the deputy governor insisted on leaving the premises with items wrapped in unclear ownership.
He said the involvement of the commissioner of police was to restore law and order.
“It should, however, be placed on records that it is a time-tested code in government’s business for officials to take inventory of offices and quarters before and after an official is moving in or out of offices or quarters,” the statement read.
“Accordingly, the Commissioner of Police intervention which was at the instance of an almost manipulated security apparatus at the Government House was most desirable to restore law and order.
“It becomes particularly worrisome and suspicious when aides of the Deputy Governor insisted on leaving the premises with items wrapped in unclear ownership as late as 11pm.
“Governor Akeredolu reiterates his commitment to the rights of all, including the Deputy Governor governor. But he has a duty to be firm and dispassionate in exercising the roles assigned to him.”
There are unconfirmed reports that the deputy governor is on his way to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), where he intends to run against the governor in the forthcoming election in the state.
I am not a politician, CP replies Ondo Deputy Governor
Ondo State Police Commissioner, Salami Bolaji, has replied Deputy Governor of the state, Agboola Ajayi, that he is apolitical and his job entailed him to protect lives and property of citizens of the state.
The Ondo CP in a statement signed by the Police spokesman, ASP Tee-Leo Ikoro, explained that he went to the Ondo State Government House on Sunday night by policemen who could not settle dispute between aides of Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu and the Deputy Governor.
He said he was informed that both aides of the Governor and the deputy were having a face off over the number of cars the Deputy could move out of the place at night.
alami stated that under his policing architecture he would never police lawlessness in the state against laid-down policing rules.
CP Salami said he viewed the viral video as an attempt to foment sentiment and misunderstanding in the state.
He said he went to the scene when his officers and men at the government house could not broker peace between the aides of the governor and that of the deputy governor over the number of cars the Deputy governor would drive out at the time.
According to him, “It is only necessary that his presence at the scene as the Command’s Commissioner of Police could calm frayed nerves.
“Having listened to the reason for the misunderstanding, he advised both sides to come to terms, a condition they both agreed.
CP Salami has never been a politician all through his life and would not want to be dragged into politics.
“He advised the good people of Ondo that as the race to Ondo government house draws very close, politicians with interest in the race should learn to play their game with the dictate of its laws; and also advise their followers to shun any act capable of causing chaos or lawlessness in the State as he concluded”.
“He vowed to police Ondo State and its people with humility. He will not allow the ego and sentiment of any individual dictate what form of policing style he should use”.
