Akeredolu sacks deputy’s media aide — after viral video

Rotimi Akeredolu, governor of Ondo state, has sacked Allen Sowore, special assistant on new media to Agboola Ajayi, his deputy.

This was announced in a statement by Olusegun Ajiboye, chief press secretary to the governor.

Sowore was advised to submit all government’s property in his possession to the chief of staff to the governor.

Akeredolu and Ajayi have been having a running battle which finally led to the resignation of the deputy governor from the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Ajayi had defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) where he has indicated interest to run against the governor in October.

Uche Secondus, national chairman of the PDP, was in Ondo on Monday to formally receive Ajayi in the opposition party.

Secondus had said Ajayi’s defection would be a boost for the party in the October 10 governorship election, assuring him of a level-playing field during the governorship primary.

Sowore was the one who circulated the video of the police preventing Ajayi from moving out of his official quarters at the government house premises on Saturday night.

Policemen led by Bolaji Salami, commissioner of police, reportedly acted on instructions from the governor but Akeredolu has since distanced himself from the action of the police.

Sowore had told reporters that the deputy governor was taken hostage for hours, despite the fact that he enjoys immunity.

“We could not leave the government house for several hours yesterday as they refused the deputy governor to pack his personal belongings,” he had said.

“At a time, the deputy governor had to ask the stand of the commissioner of Police in this matter, because the way he acted yesterday was just too low of him as a public officer and not a politician.”

Reference was not made to the incident of Saturday but Akeredolu simply wished Sowore “the best of luck in his future endeavour”.