We helped Akeredolu manipulate 2016 election in Ondo – Ex-SSG

A former Secretary to the Ondo State Government who resigned on Monday, Sunday Abegunde, has alleged that the governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, did not win the 2016 election to become governor. Mr Abegunde said he and other unnamed persons helped Mr Akeredolu become governor despite not winning the election.

He disclosed this while explaining the reason he resigned in an interview on Crest FM, Akure.

He granted the interview shortly after he tendered his resignation to the state governor.

A spokesman to the governor did not reply a request for comments sent to him by PREMIUM TIMES.

Conflict

Speaking on the fight between him and his former boss, he said “I suffered in his (Akeredolu) administration because he didn’t release any fund for my office grants. He has been telling lies that he was giving me N5 million every month even when he knew he didn’t give me such money.

“Where on earth did the governor give me such funds? 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 lie that he was giving me N5 million monthly if we meet face to face, and I would then return to Akure to resign and as well Inform the public of his looting sprees.”

Responding to question on how Mr Akeredolu emerged in 2016, he simply said: “Akeredolu didn’t win the 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.”

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He added that “The Akeredolu’s administration is making the entire people of the state suffer and I cannot be part of that any longer. Everyone is suffering. He doesn’t pay salaries at the right time. As a matter of fact, Akeredolu has not performed to the expectations of the masses apart from the roads he is rehabilitating.

“Akeredolu has turned former Governor Mimiko to a saint with his own abysmal performance. We now see that Mimiko did well as governor because he gave his people enough funds to operate. I had worked with three governors, and I can say that in the history of Ondo State, Akeredolu is the worst governor.”

Mr Abegunde, a two-term member of the House of Representatives, has been at loggerhead with his boss for months over the upcoming election. On several occasions, he reportedly shunned government meetings before he resigned.

He resigned from the government days after Mr Akeredolu’s estranged deputy, Agboola Ajayi, left the APC to PDP.

Mr Abegunde has since been replaced by Temitayo Oluwatuyi.

PREMIUM TIMES reached out to Segun Ajiboye, the governor’s CPS for a reaction but he did not not respond, even to reminders, as of the time of this report.