Agboola Ajayi

Alfred Agboola Ajayi (born 24 September 1968) is a Nigerian politician, lawyer, and businessman.[1] He serves as the Deputy Governor of Ondo State and was elected into office on 26 November 2016 as running mate to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) under the All Progressive Congress (APC) party.[2]

His Excellency

Alfred Agboola Ajayi
Deputy governor of Ondo State
Assumed office
24 February 2017
Preceded byLasisi Oluboyo
ConstituencyIlaje/Ese-Odo
Member House of Representatives (Nigeria) representing Ilaje/Ese-Odo Federal Constituency
In office
2007–2011
Succeeded byAkinjo Victor
Personal details
Born(1968-09-24)24 September 1968
Kiribo, Ese-Odo, Ondo State
NationalityNigerian
Political partyZenith Labour Party
Alma materIgbinedion University, Okada
OccupationPolitician
lawyer
businessman

On 21 June 2020, Ajayi resigned his membership from the ruling party APC and defected to the opposition party People's Democratic Party (PDP), citing irreconcilable issues between him and his Governor Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN)[3][4] and that the APC party 'has become a poisoned space'. [5]

He then joined Zenith Labour Party after losing the PDP gubernatorial primaries to Eyitayo Jegede.

He is currently the gubernatorial candidate of Zenith Labour Party led by former Governor Olusegun Mimiko.

Early Life and education

Ajayi was born on 24 September 1968 to Chief Newton Ajayi and Mrs Rebecca Ogunjinte (nee Olubusade). He hails from Kiribo Town of Western Apoi tribe in the Ese Odo 'Local Government Area' (LGA) of Ondo State. He attended Community High School in Kiribo Town and later moved to Methodist High School in Okitipupa LGA. He then went on to study Law degree at Igbinedion University, Okada in Edo State and graduated with Bachelor of Law (LL.B) at 2nd Class Upper division; and subsequently received his Call to the bar in 2010 after graduating from the Nigerian Law School in Abuja.[1]

Personal life

Ajayi is married to Chief (Mrs) Ajewole Agboola Ajayi JP and they are blessed with children.

Political life

Ajayi started his political career under the platform of Social Democratic Party (SDP) and became the Chairman of SDP in Old Opoi Ward 1 from 1988 to 1998. He later joined People's Democratic Party (PDP) in 1998 and was made the Secretary of PDP in Ilaje/Ese Odo LGA between 1998 and 1999. He was later made the Supervisor for Agriculture for Ese-Odo LGA from 1999 to 2001 and subsequently appointed as Supervisor for Works and Transport for Ese-Odo LGA from 2001 to 2003. He then went on to become the Caretaker Chairman of Ese Odo LGA between 2003 and 2004 before he was finally elected as the Chairman of Ese-Odo LGA from 2004 to 2007. He also served as former member of the Federal House of Representatives and represented Ilaje/Ese Odo federal constituency under the PDP. During his time in the House of Rep., Ajayi served as the chairman House Committee on NDDC from 2007 to 2010. Ajayi later decamped from PDP to APC and contested election as the running mate to Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) in the Ondo State Governorship election in November 2016 under the platform of APC. The pair won the election and were sworn-in as Governor and Deputy Governor of Ondo State on 24 February 2017.[1]

Controversies

Ajayi is no stranger to controversies, as in 2019 he was accused of having lied to gain admission into the Nigerian Law School while he was still in a full time employment with the Nigerian Government. [6]

He has also been having political battle for months with his boss, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, whom he accused of attempting to strangulate his political ambition;[4] citing that acrimonious situation as the main reason why he decamped from APC and defected to PDP.

Ajayi had earlier denied having any problem at all with the Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu SAN, and dismissed such rumours and speculations in the past as pure "political propaganda" that was being perpetrated and orchestrated by 'political jobbers" who were bent on causing crisis. [7]

But on Saturday 20 June 2020, following the order from the Governor, the Police Commissioner of Ondo State (CP Bolaji Salami) and his armed policemen restricted and barred Ajayi from leaving his official residence in the Government House for over four hours; [8] and when he finally gained his freedom he went straight to his Apoi Ward 2 in Ese-Odo LGA to tender his resignation from the APC party and thereafter crossed over to the PDP ward office to register his new membership.[3]

Since his defection, the Governor and APC party have called on Ajayi to resign his position as the Deputy Governor of Ondo State. But Ajayi has refused to resign and claims that he still remains the elected Deputy Governor of Ondo State despite moving to the opposition party PDP.[9]

On 23 June 2020, two days after his defection to PDP, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu ordered that all Ajayi's seven aids be withdrawn including the two aids assigned to the wife of the embattled Deputy Governor. [10]

News of a possible impeachment continues to also circulate with the rumour that members of the Ondo State House of Assembly are plotting or making plans to impeach him out of office.[11]

References
  1. "Ajayi Agboola Alfred". Ondo State Government. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  2. Sowole, James (24 February 2017). "New Ondo Gov, Akeredolu, Deputy Sworn in, Promises to Rebuild State". ThisDayLive. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
  3. "Ondo Deputy Governor, Agboola Ajayi, Defects To PDP". Sahara Reporters. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  4. kabir, Adejumo. "Ondo deputy governor dumps APC for PDP". Premium Times. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  5. kabir, Adejumo. "Why I left APC – Ondo Deputy Governor". Premium Times. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  6. Enumah, Alex (3 June 2019). "Nigeria: Alleged Perjury – Group Asks Body of Benchers to Disbar Ondo Deputy Governor". ThisDayLive. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  7. "There's no cold war between me and Rotimi Akeredolu – Ondo deputy governor". Today. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  8. "Policemen 'bar' Ondo deputy governor from leaving government house". Today. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  9. "Agboola Ajayi: I'm still Ondo deputy governor". Today. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  10. kabir, Adejumo (23 June 2020). "Ondo 2020: Akeredolu sacks all his deputy's aides". Premium Times. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  11. Johnson, Dayo (28 June 2020). "Plot to impeach Ondo Deputy Governor thickens". Vanguard. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
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