Akeredolu has offered N10m to each Assembly member to impeach me — Ajayi

The Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Agboola Ajayi, has raised the alarm about a plot to impeach him illegally by the state Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu.

Ajayi raised the alarm on Tuesday in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Babatope Okeowo.

The Deputy Governor, who had been at loggerheads with Akeredolu, on Sunday dumped the party that brought them to power, All Progressives Congress, for the Peoples Democratic Party.

The statement by Okeowo said: “The attention of the Deputy Governor of Ondo State, His Excellency, Agboola Ajayi has been drawn to the illegal move by the embattled Governor of Ondo State, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu to impeach him through illegal and unconstitutional means. The illegal impeachment move would be carried out through financial inducement of members of the Ondo State House of Assembly to the tune of ten million naira each.

“As the moment, Ondo State House of Assembly complex has been besieged by men of the Nigeria Police, while parliamentarians that are known not to believe in the charade are being prevented from entering the complex.

“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 of Ondo State, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu and his group.

“By joining People’s Democratic Party (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) provides as follows: ‘Every person shall be entitled to assemble freely and associate with other persons, and in particular, he may form or belong to any political party, trade union or any association for the protection of his interests.’

“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.

“We remain undaunted in the move to throw off the combined weight of those kneeling on the neck of Ondo State. Our state shall not be allowed to suffocate. At the appropriate time, the people of Ondo State shall decide the right person, who will serve as the arrowhead of the bid to save the state from the nepotistic clique kneeling on her neck.”