Otunba Christopher Adebayo Alao Akala, has revealed that he advised former Governor Rashidi Ladoja not to remove Barr. Sarafadeen Alli as the Secretary to the State Government.
Alao-Akala, who once served as Ladoja’s deputy before becoming Governor, revealed this in an interview with Saturday PUNCH while explaining why it is difficult for him and Rashidi Ladoja to be in the same political party again.
He said, “We have different backgrounds. What I believe in, he does not believe in. For instance, consider the way Sarafadeen Alli was removed as Secretary to the State Government when we were in office. I wouldn’t have done that and I advised against it, that we shouldn’t remove him but he told me it was a done deal.”
He also stated that while he was the Deputy Governor to Rashidi Ladoja, he was treated worse than a spare tyre.
In his words, “If there was anything worse than spare tyre, I was treated worse. You even take care of spare tyre because of emergency needs but this spare tyre was left deflated so I could not be used.
“As deputy governor, I was not treated well at all. I was just going to the office to read newspapers. I was not assigned roles. I just forced myself in; they didn’t allow me.
“When my boss was reinstated as governor after the impeachment saga, he removed me from the deputy governor’s office and put me outside the secretariat, very close to the present Ministry of Environment. My office was outside the secretariat.
“Secondly, he prevented me from attending the executive council meeting. Till that regime ended, I did not attend executive council meetings.”
He, however, stated that when he became the Governor, he treated his Deputy the same way he wanted to be treated by keeping him busy.
“I would have loved that the constitution would recommend specific roles to be performed by the deputy governor,” the Ogbomosho-born politician added.
