The Ondo State governor, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu has ordered the Commissioner of Police, Bolaji Salami, to detain the Deputy Governor, Hon Agboola Ajayi under house arrest at the Alagbaka Government House, Akure.
Ajayi was, on Saturday, prevented from leaving the Government House with one of the vehicles attached to his office as revealed in a video that has gone viral.
Ajayi was barred by policemen from leaving the Government House for his personal residence within Akure, the state capital over the allegation that he has perfected plans to dump the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for the rival Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday.
The angry Deputy Governor, who had planned to travel to his hometown, Kiribo, in Eseodo Local Government Area of the state for the formal defection to PDP from APC, was seen lambasting the Commissioner of police for being the governor’s errant boy.
“I have tried all constitutional and acceptable means to prevent this crisis,’ Ajayi said. “ 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.
“I personally paid for this vehicle. You should not have put yourself in this mess. Let me tell you, you cannot repeat what happened in this state in 1983 because Ondo State people will resist you and your emperor with everything.”
Ajayi, who was flanked by two members of the House of Assembly, Mr Festus Akingbaso and Rasheed Elegbeleye, was taken hostage for hours at the Governor’s House gate despite the fact that he enjoys immunity under the Constitution of Nigeria.
The Deputy Governor, however, insisted that he would not leave the gate back to his official quarters unless they allow him remove his official and personal vehicles out of the Government House.
An utterly confused Salami told the deputy governor: “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 a few minutes, let me talk to my boss.”
However, the Deputy Governor expressed disappointment with the conduct of the Commissioner of Police and the men posted to the Government House. He said the conduct of the police boss is unbecoming of a senior police officer.
