Inside Nigeria
Akeredolu Poised to Impeach Deputy Agboola as Select Lawmakers Meet Governor
In spite of persistent denial by the Ondo State Governor Rotimi Akeredolu that there were no clandestine plots to impeach the Deputy Governor Ajayi Agboola, The Crest can confirm moves to sack the deputy on the prompting of the governor
Donald Ojogo, Commissioner for Information in the state, had vehemently denied the allegations, but there are strong indications in Akure at the weekend that members of the House of Assembly had been meeting consistently to perfect plans to remove Ajayi from office.
The lot to do the hatchet job falls on some lawmakers loyal to the governor who on Saturday got a text message inviting them for a ‘night meeting’ slated for 9pm at the VIP Lodge of the Government House in Akure.
Our correspondent learnt that only the All Progressives Congress caucus members of the House of Assembly were invited to the meeting with Governor Akeredolu.
A source revealed that the meeting with the governor was expected to give a final nod to the planned impeachment of the deputy governor.
It was gathered that 19 out of the 26 Assembly members were contacted for the emergency meeting.
Other members not invited for the meeting were either those in the opposition party (PDP and ZLP) and those loyal to the deputy governor and had been resisting the plot to impeach him.
“The governor has been expecting us to carry out the impeachment of Agboola Ajayi since he defected to the Peoples Democratic Party.
“Now, he’s furious about the delay by the leadership of the Assembly under the Speaker, Oleyeloogun, which has been causing him embarrassment.
“That is why we are being summoned to a meeting tonight by the governor and I fear that the Speaker won’t have the choice than to succumb as his seat is under threat already.”
Last week, the deputy governor had raised the alarm over plans by the Assembly members to impeach him.
He alleged that the lawmakers were being induced by Governor Akeredolu with the sum of N10m each to carry out the hatchet job.
Ajayi insists that he won’t resign his position as deputy governor of the state despite defecting from the All Progressives Congress to the PDP.