Akeredolu frustrating my campaign, says Ondo deputy gov

Ajayi Agboola, deputy governor of Ondo state, has accused Rotimi Akeredolu, governor of the state, of frustrating his campaign moves.

Agboola, who has not been in good terms with the governor, defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in June.

After his defection, he contested the governorship ticket of the major opposition party but lost to Eyitayo Jegede.

On August 10, Agboola announced his resignation from the PDP and joined the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).

In a statement issued by Allen Sowore, Agboola’s special adviser on media, the deputy governor said his party was denied access to using a government facility to flag off his campaign.

“Let be it known that the Zenith Labour Party applied for the usage of the M.K.O Abiola democracy park, Akure to flag off its campaign rally,” the statement read.

“After the successful completion of all due process, the agency responsible, acting on the instruction of Ondo state governor deliberately hiked the price from the original N5 million, which the venue was given out to the PDP for its own rally on Saturday, 12th September 2020.

“Even at that, the ZLP was ready to pay the N11 million charged but the official in charge disappeared. It then became clear that Governor Akeredolu was ready to frustrate the ZLP. This is a condemnable act!”

However, responding to the allegation, Donald Ojogo, the state commissioner for information, said the venue is not under the control of the state government.

Ojogo said: “The futile attempt to drag the Ondo state government into arena of frustrations suffered by the ZLP is most unacceptable.”

“It must be noted that the venue in question is not under the control of the state government. There is a consultant who manages the facility.”

Akeredolu has since picked Lucky Aiyedatiwa, a former commissioner in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), as his running mate for the October 10 governorship election.