Ondo State Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has said he received results of Akure South, Akure North and Ifedore local governments with shock despite projects he executed in the localities.
The governor, who won in 15 local governments in last Saturday’s election, lost in those three councils to the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Eyitayo Jegede.
Akeredolu, speaking during a television interview, said he thought he would win in those local governments because he worked in the areas where he claimed people turned against the APC.
The governor said he was expecting victory in the 18 local government areas of the state.
He said: “When it comes to the issue of winning 15 local governments, it’s just a slight improvement on what I did the last time. The last time I won 14 councils. Talking seriously, I thought I was going to win the 18 local governments.
“I’m shocked at what happened in Akure because I take Akure South, Akure North and Ifedore as one Akure. So, I’m shocked at the development there.
“But I’ll put that behind me. I’ll move forward. I thought I would win in Akure because I worked in those three local governments where people turned against us. But it’s alright by me. We’ll forget it.”
On his estranged deputy, Agboola Ajayi, Akeredolu said it was God that answered his prayers.
He said Ajayi’s actions had taught him a lesson in politics, but hoped that his incoming deputy, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, would not betray him like Ajayi.
“The event that commenced this process, like the deputy governor who decided to jump ship, I was shocked too. Although, I got to know it was going to happen when I saw his movements. I said okay, this man has made up his mind to go.
“I think God answered my prayer. I was praying for him to go and I think he has to go anyway because you cannot have people who will be there and want to stab you at the back and you want to keep them in the house, no.
“You cannot have a snake under your roof and think you can sleep well. So, it was good we asked the snake to go, so we had to sleep properly.
“This has taught me a lesson in politics. But it’s not a new thing. It has happened over and over, right here in the Southwest, even in the North, everywhere.
“Look at the case of Baba Awolowo and Akintola, look at Omoboriowo and Ajasin. So many instances. For me, it’s not something new. When he had to leave, I was very happy and I knew this was politics and I was going face a lot of what I’ll call blackmail because that is their stock in trade because there is no other thing they’re going to throw at us, throw at me, at my wife and children.
“But what I’ll say is that matters like this do repeat themselves, but it cannot come from the deputy that I’ve chosen now. I have a lot of confidence in him. I don’t see him behaving like the former one.”
