Gov. Akeredolu of Ondo State

Cabinet members in the Ondo State Government on Tuesday refuted their  alleged defection, describing the report  as the handiwork of political enemies.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that there were speculations  of  a planned defection of some top cabinet members in the state from the All Progressives Congress (APC)  to other parties on social media.

The cabinet members, who unanimously declared  their support for the APC,  made their stand known during the weekly State Executive Council  (SEC) meeting in Akure.

The meeting was presided over by the state’s  Deputy Governor, Mr Agboola Ajayi, who said that there was no plan to defect by members of the  SEC and the APC in the state.

“Everything is peaceful in APC of Ondo State, we are very much intact.

“ The party and all of us are one and I do not know and I am not aware  that anybody else among us is leaving or planning to leave the party for another.

“Yes, it is a normal thing for people to contest for election which is the beauty of democracy and APC will not dictate for you, but allow the grassroots to choose who will represent them at various levels of elective positions come 2019 elections,” he said.

According to him, if anybody wants to resign and contest, it is a different thing.

He added that APC  in the state was  doing everything possible to move the state forward.

“I can assure you that Gov. Rotimi Akeredolu will leave Ondo State better than he met it after spending eight  years,” he said.

The deputy governor also noted that the  governor followed constitutional procedure in  informing the state House of Assembly before embarking on his annual leave.

Mr Ifedayo Abegunde, the Secretary to the State Government, expressed  confidence in the leadership of the governor.

“I remain in APC because Mr Governor is a man of good character and not a deceit and he has done many infrastructural projects to move our state forward,” he said.

Mrs Lola Fagbemi, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, described  the speculations on defections as  “ a figment of the  imagination of lazy journalists.’’

Mr Taofeek Abdulsalam, the Commissioner for Works,  and Mr Raheem Aminu, the Senior Special Adviser on Infrastructure, also dismissed  speculations of their  alleged defection from APC.