Indications emerged that the fortunes of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) government in Ondo state may take a turn for the worse as many members of the state cabinet are set to leave the cabinet of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu or dump the party.

A reliable source within the Akeredolu led government told Tribune Online that at least 11 serving commissioners in the cabinet of the state government have concluded arrangements to either leave the cabinet to contest during the forthcoming general election or dump the party for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.

According to the source, some of the Commissioners that may disengage from the government were complaining of overbearing influences of the Special Advisers appointed by the governor in their various ministries.

Some of the cabinet members that might leave to contest the next election according to the source included, Secretary to the State Government, Ifedayo Abegunde, Victor Olabimtan, Commissioner for Youth and Sports Saka Yusuf, Sola Amodeni and Mrs Wumi Olatunji.

Others include Finance Commissioner, Wale Akinterinwa, Gboyega Adefarati, Agriculture, Timehin Adelegbe, Commerce, Ismaila Olurimisi, Culture and Tourism, Donald Ojogo, Housing, Rasheed Badmus, Natural Resources, Tobi Ogunleye, Transport and Yemi Olowolabi, Information.

It was gathered that most of the Commissioners who are members of the state executive are planning to opt out of government because of the overbearing influence of the Special Advisers in their various ministry.

The source disclosed that the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) Hon. Ifedayo Abegunde, recently reignited his desire to contest for the Senatorial ticket against the incumbent, Senator Tayo Alasoadura, who had earlier given the ticket, saying Abegunde decided to leave the cabinet because he has been sidelined in the government despite his contribution towards the 2016 governorship election.

While Wumi Olatunji, the Commissioner in charge of women’s affairs is willing to vacate her seat to contest for House of Representatives because she was said not to be in charge of the ministry but the ministry is being run and control by the Special Adviser, Mrs Titi Adeyemo

Similarly, Adelegbe who is the Commerce Commissioner feels he should leave the government as his duties are being run by the Special Adviser on Investment, Mr Boye Oyewumi, rendering Adelegbe redundant by the overbearing attitude of Oyewumi and the Special Adviser on Multi-Lateral Services, Mrs Bunmi Ademosun.

The source also included the Commissioner for Housing, Donald Ojogo, as one of the cabinet members willing to leave the government.

Ojogo, from Ese Odigbo, was said to be eyeing House of Representatives He was said to be running away from the government because he is also not in charge of his ministry because the governor has his eyes and ears in his Special Adviser, Engr. Rahimi Aminu at Ojogo’s ministry and Works ministry.

The source also listed the Transport Commissioner, Tobi Ogunleye, to be warming up to contest for the state House of Assembly seat, but said he may lose out as the governor, Akeredolu, is interested in the return of the current Speaker of the State Assembly, Bamidele Oleyelogun to stabilise his government.

He, however, said the state Commissioner for information, Yemi Olowolabi, has also shown interest in contesting for the house of Representatives seat for Idanre/Ifedore Federal constituency but he was said to be considering the influence of the party’s chairman who hailed from the same town with him and eyeing the same seat with him.

The source said “most of these people have been rendered useless and figurehead in their various ministry and the governor seems not bothered by them and I am confirming to you that some of these men might leave soon.

•Excerpted from a Tribune report

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