Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State has denied ordering the Commissioner of Police, Bolaji Salami to bar his deputy, Agboola Ajayi from leaving the Government House.
This comes shortly after a viral video emerged involving his deputy governor and the police boss over the incident.
In the video released by one of the deputy governor’s aide, Ajayi was seen confronting Salami, asking why he should be prevented from exiting the seat of power.
But reacting to the development on Sunday, June 22, 2020, Governor Akeredolu described the claim as a “concocted and devious lie meant to discredit him.”
In a statement issued on Sunday by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Segun Ajiboye, the governor believes the stories are “absolute falsehood intended to play victim by the principal actors involved.”
“It should, however, be placed on records that it is a time-tested code in government’s business for officials to take inventory of offices and quarters before and after an official is moving in or out of offices or quarters.
“Accordingly, the CP’s intervention which was at the instance of an almost manipulated security apparatus at the Government House was most desirable to restore law and order.
“It becomes particularly worrisome and suspicious when aides of the Deputy Governor insisted on leaving the premises with items wrapped in unclear ownership as late as 11 pm,” the statement partly read.
While reiterating his commitment to the rights of all, including the Deputy Governor, Governor Akeredolu noted that “he has a duty to be firm and dispassionate in exercising the roles assigned to him.”
