The Chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Ese-Odo Local Government Area (LGA) of Ondo State, Samuel Ajayi, has resigned from the party.
Ajayi announced his resignation from the office of the APC chairman in the LGA and from the party in a letter dated July 10, 2020.
The Publicity Secretary of the APC in Ondo, Alex Kalejaye, confirmed the resignation to Channels Television on Friday.
He explained that the former APC LGA chairman had been suspended from the party last week over allegations of anti-party activities.
The decision of Ajayi to leave the party is presumed to be connected to the defection of the Ondo State Deputy Governor, Agboola Ajayi, from the APC to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Ajayi is said to be related to the deputy governor who also hails from Ese-Odo LGA.
The deputy governor had left the APC for the PDP as a result of reported disagreement with the state governor, Rotimi Akeredolu.
His defection to the PDP has sparked mixed reactions between the APC and the opposition party in the state, with the ruling party calling for his resignation as deputy governor.
In what appeared to be a new twist of political tussle, 14 of the members of the Ondo State House of Assembly, including the speaker – Bamidele Oleyelogun, on Tuesday served an impeachment notice on the deputy governor whom they accused of gross misconduct.
However, the Deputy Speaker of the House, Iroju Ogundeji, and eight other lawmakers were opposed to the planned impeachment of Ajayi by their colleagues in the Legislative House.
They include Adewale Williams, Jamiu Maito, Rasheed Elegbeleye, Tomide Akinribido, Samuel Ademola, Favour Tomomewo, Festus Akingbaso, and Torhukerhijo Success.
A day after the impeachment notice was served, the Assembly suspended the deputy speaker and Williams over what was described as unruly behaviour.
The lawmakers, thereafter, asked the Chief Judge of Ondo State, Justice Oluwatoyin Akeredolu, to set up a panel to investigate the deputy governor.
But Justice Akeredolu rejected the request, saying the process required by the 1999 Constitution for setting up such a probe panel had not been completed by the lawmakers.
