Ondo Dep. Gov accuse police of withdrawing his escorts

The Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Mr Agboola Ajayi, on Wednesday, claimed that the Police have withdrawn his escort.

This was contained in a statement made available to newsmen by the deputy governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr Babatope Okeowo, in Akure.

The accusation comes after Ajayi defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on June 21 at his home town, Apoi, in Ese-Odo Local Government area of the state.

There has been growing rancour between between Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu and his deputy for some time, leading to the latest fallout.

“The deputy governor wishes to raise the alarm over the withdrawal of his police escort on the order of the Commissioner of Police, Mr Bolaji Salami, thus putting his life and those of his family and staff in danger,” the statement read.

The statement also alleged that the police had, on June 21, taken the deputy governor hostage for more than four hours at the Government House.

“This happened despite the fact that Ajayi enjoys immunity under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“We are not oblivious of their surreptitious move to undermine the security of the deputy governor and strip him of his security apparatus to make him vulnerable in order to carry out their evil agenda,” the statement said.

It called on President Muhammadu Buhari, the Inspector- General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, and the Director-General of State Security Service, Yusuf Bichi, to be aware of ‘this latest ugly development in Ondo State’.

“Should anything happen to the deputy governor, his family and staff, the commissioner of police in Ondo State should be held responsible,” the statement said.