By Kolawole Ojebisi
Ifedayo Abegunde, immediate past Secretary to Ondo State Government, who resigned his position on Monday, has broken his silence on why he left the Akeredolu administration.
It was gathered that Abegunde opened up on his resignation and what transpired between him and the governor during a programme on Crest 87.7 Fm, in Akure.
Speaking on why he resigned his position, the former Ondo SSG said he decided to quit the administration due to the way Akeredolu was running the government.
He said, “Akeredolu has reduced the government to the property of his wife, son and in-laws and all government contract go to these same set of people from Imo State.”
Abegunde added that he was unable to cater for the needs of those who joined him to support the government because funds were not allocated to his office.
He denied that the sum of N5m was being allocated to his office on monthly basis and accused the governor of telling lies.
He said, “Where on earth did the governor give me such funds or let him come forward with the evidence.
“Recently, I reported him to Governor Fayemi of Ekiti State and he promised to invite both of us to Abuja for settlement.
“I remember that I told Fayemi that I was going to spit on the face of Akeredolu if he repeated the lies that he was giving me N5m monthly.
“And I will then return to Akure to resign and as well inform the public of his looting spree.”
While stressing that he had worked with three different governors in the state, Abegunde described the government of Akeredolu as the worst in the history of the state.
After disclosing why he tendered his resignation; Abegunde dropped what could be described as a bombshell.
The former politician alleged that Governor Rotimi Akeredolu didn’t win the 2016 governorship election in the state as declared
He said some “moneybags” in the All Progressives Congress including himself rigged Akeredolu into power in 2016 by manipulating the election result in his favour.
According to him, Akeredolu lost the 2016 governorship poll to the then Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Eyitayo Jegede, who he claimed was the winner of the election.
He said, “It was through the powers from me and other APC pillars that made INEC declare Akeredolu as governor after he had lost the election.
“So, Akeredolu didn’t win the Ondo governorship election in 2016 but we made it possible for him to become governor.
“We were the pillars behind him and we will not support him again. He will lose this time around.”
The New Diplomat had reported how Abegunde resigned his post and promised to communicate next line of action in the next 24 hours.
According to a source who spoke to The New Diploma but preferred to be anonymous, Abegunde popularly hailed “Abena” by his teeming supporters is one of the quartet that formed the pillar of Akeredolu’s political camp in the buildup to the 2016 governorship election.
The three other politicians, according to the source are: Wale Akinterinwa, Ade Adetimehin and Paul Akintelure.
The source said, ” I hope governor Akeredolu will do something to steady his ’tilting’ house. He needs to act fast.”
Asked if Abegunde’s resignation might be the manifestation of the threat made by Agboola Ajayi, the deputy governor of the state.
Recall that Ajayi had said ” a tsunami-like defection” would soon hit APC in Ondo state as many politicians were set to defect and follow him to the opposition People’s Democratic Party(PDP) after his own defection.
The source said it might not be an empty threat considering the intimacy between Ajayi and Abegunde. He, however, added that the governor must act fast if he still wants to realize his reflection bid
