Ondo State lawmakers on Wednesday denied plot to impeach the state Deputy Governor, Hon. Agboola Ajayi, who defected from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over unresolved issues with his boss, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu.
The lawmakers who lambasted Ajayi over the bribery allegations against the members of the House of Assembly, saying the claim that the lawmakers were bribed with N10m each by Akeredolu was designed to whip up public emotions.
Tension rose in the state early on Tuesday over the planned impeachment of Ajayi by the state House of Assembly while some policemen invaded the State Assembly complex
Speaking on behalf of the lawmakers, the Chairman, House Committee on Information, Hon. Gbenga Omole described as reckless and a ploy to drag the lawmakers into the crisis between Ajayi and his boss.
Omole described Ajayi as drowning man who will hold on to anything for his survival, saying the lawmakers did not any inducement before exercising their constitutional responsibilities.
Omole stated in the statement that “the attention of lawmakers in the Ondo State House of Assembly has been drawn to an online report that members were given N10millions each as an inducement to impeach the Deputy Governor, Mr Agboola Ajayi.
“This allegation smacks of naivety on the part of the Deputy Governor and intended to cast aspersions on the noble image of members and drag the integrity of the House in the mud.
“It is on this premise that we Honourable Members of the Ondo State House of Assembly state unequivocally that this is nothing but a blatant lie and politics taken too far, least expected of the calibre of the Deputy Governor of the Sunshine State.
“But we are not surprised because he is a drowning man and he will hold on to anything to survive.”
He also said as 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 the global recess which places daunting challenges on the economy of States around the world”
Omole, however, said “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 N10million each to facilitate the impeachment of the Deputy Governor”
The lawmakers maintained that Ajayi’s claim “is nothing but a blatant lie only conceived in the imagination of Mr Agboola Ajayi who believes money is everything.”
