Since the Ondo State Deputy Governor, His Excellency, Alfred Agboola Ajayi moved from the ruling All Progressives Congress, (APC) to the People’s Democratic Party, (PDP) on 21st June, 2020, his political adversaries both within the PDP and APC have intensified fruitless efforts through sponsored media attacks to smear his reputation. This is understandable.

Some PDP aspirants, who are being sponsored by the Ondo State Government to obtain forms just to undermine the capacity of the opposition party in its bid to take over the reins of government from the wobbling and floundering Akeredolu, have suddenly realized that it’s not going to be business as usual.

On the other hand, the Deputy Governor is receiving the last kicks of a dying horse from the governor’s camp. This may not be unconnected to the fact that the Akeredolu led government has so far find it arduous to come out of coma and fill the gap the exit of the Deputy Governor created.

Ostensibly, the Deputy Governor has become the rave of the moment. It’s therefore expected that these two categories – Akeredolu’s government and sponsored PDP aspirants – will stop at nothing to blackmail Agboola Ajayi for relevance and political gains. Of course, we know them and their tactics.

One would have ignored them but for the unsuspecting members of the public who may take their rabid lies and propaganda for the truth. It then becomes pertinent to straighten the records for the good of all.

Alleged Age Falsification:
Like every other public office holders, in 2007, after Hon. Agboola Ajayi won election as a Member of the House of Representatives, his opponent in the election mounted a legal petition against the victory.
The Court of Appeal which was then the highest court in the adjudication of election matters gave a verdict, which vindicated Honourable Agboola Ajayi.

This is called res judicata in law – no person who shows that he’s been tried by any court of competent jurisdiction or tribunal shall be tried again for that offence, whose facts are the same.

Doctored PDP Delegate List:
The truth of the matter is that Agboola Ajayi is not a member of the National Working Committee(NWC) of the PDP and could not have influenced the ‘doctored’ list if it exists at all.

It must be noted that it is the national leadership of PDP that sent a committee to see to the conduct of delegates election and they are the custodian of the list and not the Deputy Governor.

Documents Submitted For Screening and Disqualification:
The Deputy Governor as a governorship aspirant of the PDP submitted the basic requirements and qualifications for the governorship contest – SSCE results, official age declaration, membership card and tax clearance; all of which have been screened and certified okay. There was a petition against his Law School certificate of Call to Bar. This again has been dismissed by the highest and most distinguished Body of Benchers.

It is therefore foolhardy and unfortunate that those who should know better are still wandering and wallowing in their pool of ignorance over a matter which the judiciary had given its final verdict.

In the past three months, the same stories aimed at smearing the reputation of the person of the Deputy Governor, Agboola Ajayi have been sponsored and planted in both traditional and online media platforms.

The ultimate aim of these job seekers is to demarket the amiable Deputy Governor as the Ondo State gubernatorial election gets near. These hirelings and their sponsors do have the sympathy of Agboola Ajayi. However, it’s not too late for them to face the reality that no one can curse a man whom God has blessed.

Comrade Allen Sowore
Media Adviser to Deputy Governor
14th July 2020.