Ondo State House of Assembly has commenced impeachment proceedings against Deputy Governor Agboola Ajayi. Will he escape the hammer? Correspondent Osagie Otabor writes on the impeachment drama.
This is perhaps not the best of times for the Ondo State Deputy Governor, Agboola Ajayi. He is today the most talked about politician in Ondo State since he defected from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He is facing two battles at the same time. Fourteen members of the House of Assembly have served him impeachment notice as he had insisted on remaining in office even after becoming a member of the opposition party. He is also battling to secure the governorship ticket of the PDP.
Already, the Speaker, Bamidele Oleyelogun, has written to the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Olaranwaju Akeredolu, to setup a seven-man panel to investigate allegations against Ajayi.
The allegations leveled against Hon Ajayi included gross misconduct, abuse of office with actions likely to bring down the state government, financial recklessness, abandonment of office, official duty and other assignments and maligning credibility of the legislative arm with false allegations of cash inducement.
Others defection the PDP, having sworn-in on the party’s ticket and actions likely to cause breach of peace.
But, Justice Akeredolu, in her response, said the lawmakers have not completed the constitutional process that would lead the Speaker to invite her to set up an investigative panel as stipulated by the Constitution.
She also stated that she received a letter from Kayode Olatoke SAN that the impeachment of Ajayi was subjudice.
Last month, after he resigned from the APC, Ajayi raised the alarm that Governor Rotimi Akeredolu influenced the lawmakers with N10m each to impeach him.
But, the lawmakers denied the allegations, saying they were not surprised over the allegations because he (Ajayi) ‘is a drowning man and he will hold on to anything to survive.’
Describing the allegations as blatant lie and politics taken too far, Chairman, House Committee on Information, Akogun Olugbenga Omole, in a statement said it smacked of naivety on the part of the Deputy Governor and intended to drag the integrity of the House in the mud.
He said: “As Lawmakers and elected representatives of the people we are aware of efforts by Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu to reposition the state and make it enviable among her equals across the country even in the face of obvious dwindling resources.
“How then can someone imagine the honourable members to compromise their mark of honour all in the pursuit of selfish gains in this period of global recess which places daunting challenges on the economy of States around the world.
“Much as we are not ready to trade words with anyone we are adequately aware of our constitutional rights and would never hesitate to exercise same when occasion demands for it.
“We do not need any inducement of whatever kind from any quarters to exercise our constitutional responsibilities as elected representatives of the people.
“To this end, the body of lawmakers of the Ondo State House of Assembly refute the allegation of 10 Million Naira each to facilitate the impeachment of the Deputy Governor.
“We state unequivocally that this is nothing but a blatant lie only conceived in the imagination of Mr Agboola Ajayi who believes money is everything.”
Ajayi is going down the road like previous deputy governors that fell out with their bosses before the end of their first term in office.
A former Head of Service Ajose Kudehinbu said: “Ondo State politics presently is not too different from what it has always been.
When election is about to take place you see all manner of things. Leakage of information and all manner of secret documents in the public.
There has always been face off between Governors and Deputies in Ondo State. It happened in the days of Papa Ajasin and Omoboriwo. It was towards the next election.
“When Adefarati was there, there was leakage of classified information. Mimiko had management of ego between him and his deputy, Alhaji Ali Olanusi.
Today, you have a similar situation between the governor and his deputy. As far as Ondo State is concerned, there is hardly a time you talk about a smooth relationship from the beginning to the end. It is not a surprise.”
Ajayi and his boss, Akeredolu, were said to have enjoyed smooth relationship at the beginning of their administration.
He was described as a dependable ally of Akeredolu such that most of the political appointments from Ondo South were handled by him.
It was also alleged that Akeredolu was careless politically with his deputy by entrusting so much in him, but the deputy used the privilege to build political structure around himself.
Another source said they fell out after the governor discovered that the deputy was scheming to stop his second term ambition by contesting against him at the primary.
He was accused of mooting the idea of using the Action Alliance in the 2019 general elections, which made the APC lost the Presidential elections and two senatorial seats.
But, Ajayi was also said to be a victim of power play from 2024. Closed associates said certain powerful forces in Ondo South where Ajayi hails worked on the governor through his wife, Betty, to the extent he saw reasons to believe things about his deputy. Until the deputy governor resigned from the APC, he was no longer seen at government functions.
Ajayi is also regarded by loyalists as a politician with nine lives. He is said to understand how to maneuver difficulties in politics and cone out unscathed.
He has served as a ward chairman, council chairman, a member of the House of Representatives before becoming deputy governor. His becoming a deputy governor was by providence as he had just joined the APC when he was nominated.
The impeachment move against Ajayi was not without drama. He was initially said to be in control of majority of the lawmakers but when the impeachment notice was presented, only nine lawmakers kicked against it.
The nine lawmakers insisted that due process was not followed as 18 members were needed sign the impeachment notice.
Three out of the nine lawmakers, including the Deputy Speaker, Iroju Ogundeji, Favour Semilore Tomomewo and Hon Adewale Adewinle Williams, have been suspended to perhaps paved way for the Assembly to secure the required number.
Ajayi insisted that the impeachment move would fail. He said he has gone to court to seek redress.
He described blackmail, propaganda as legitimate weapons in politics but that he is focused on the PDP primaries and how good governance could return to the people.
The action of the Chief Judge has, however, made the lawmakers bent on impeaching Ajayi returned to perfect another plan.
The continued stay in office of Ajayi would depend largely on how loyal the nine lawmakers would remained and the alternate plans of the 14 lawmakers.