Ondo State Governor Mr Rotimi Akeredolu has urged security agencies in the country to probe the former Secretary to the State Government (SSG) Mr Ifedayo Abegunde for claiming to have rigged the election that produced him as governor.
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Akeredolu, speaking through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Segun Ajiboye, said he was not aware that Abegunde rigged the election.
‘On Monday, July 6, 2020, the erstwhile Secretary to the State Government, Hon Ifedayo Abegunde, expectedly resigned from the cabinet and Governor Rotimi Akeredolu made a swift replacement,’ the governor’s statement read.
‘In a manner not uncharacteristic, the former SSG, shortly after submitting his resignation letter, equally granted a press interview wherein he made some allegations against the Governor.
‘A quick run of the allegations shows a semblance of sustained recycling of falsehood as well as blackmail contents targeted at the Governor and his immediate family. These are pernicious lies and imaginary thoughts lines considered perennial and seemingly becoming boring.
‘It is, however, imperative to draw the attention of the Nation’s Security Agencies to a particular outburst wherein the former SSG confessed to have participated in electoral fraud in 2016.
‘The Governor, as an avid believer in Democracy, Rule of Law and Legality, is not a beneficiary of the fraud Hon. Abegunde and his unnamed cohorts allegedly, perpetrated during the 2016 governorship election. He would not encourage such; not even in the coming election.
‘Ordinarily, the former SSG’s vituperations which have come under heavy criticisms are assuaging. This is even as the voluntary dispatch of his shortcomings and emotional distress are enough to attract empathy.
‘Nevertheless, Abegunde’s outbursts are weighty confessions that must be investigated by security agencies. Anything to the contrary will not only encourage future acts as contained in the confessions. Such brazen anti-democratic acts are unambiguously grave dangers to our fledgeling electoral system.
‘This is more so, that Abegunde, after his confessions on a live broadcast programme, continues to remain a political participant in the state. He is a potent danger to Democracy.’
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