Chief Charles Idahosa, a former Commissioner for Information in Edo State on Wednesday said Taiwo Akerele, former Chief of Staff to Governor Godwin Obaseki is a betrayer who failed to justify the confidence reposed in him by his principal.
Akerele resigned his appointment last weekend and has since been replaced by the governor.
Speaking in a chat with Daily Independent, Idahosa, a prominent leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo state said he nominated Akerele for the position of Chief of Staff to Governor Obaseki even though he (Akerele) was lobbying him to make him a Commissioner in the Obaseki administration.
According to Idahosa, when Akerele approached him that he wanted to resign as Chief of Staff, he asked him if he was being blackmailed into doing so but he replied that he wasn’t being blackmailed.
He added that Akerele’s resignation is of no consequence as he is a political paperweight in the politics of Edo state.
“It might surprise you and a lot of people to know that I was the one that nominated Taiwo Akerele as Chief of Staff to Governor Godwin Obaseki.He worked with me in Government House when I was Political Adviser to the Governor. That was why I liked him because he was very efficient”. He was a secretary of a committee that I chaired in Government House”.
“He was rolling on the ground when I nominated him as Chief of Staff because he was already lobbying me to assist him in becoming a Commissioner, only for the governor to come to me and said ‘Is there anybody you can suggest to me as Chief of Staff?’ I immediately said Taiwo Akerele from Akoko Edo”
“He came to my house and told me all cock and bull stories. He said they did not allow him to function as Chief of Staff. He said the Deputy Governor and SSG have taken over his role and so he wanted to resign.
I asked him ‘ Why did it take you almost four years before saying this? Why are you resigning when election is just three months away? Are you being blackmailed into resigning ?’ He said ‘No, he wasn’t being blackmailed”.
“As chief of staff, his action is a betrayal to the governor. There are so many things that have been unraveled about him that I don’t want to talk about because like I told you, it is not an issue. We have seen it before. The sad aspect is that Oshiomhole is allowing little boys to rubbish him”.
When contacted, Akerele who did not deny that he got the appointment through Idahosa however said as a professional, he has resolved not to join issues with anyone.
“ In my resignation letter, I clearly stated that I will like to be given the opportunity to go private. I will not join issues with anyone. I have resigned and since moved on he said”.