Ajimobi: My Boss Never Wanted APC Appointment – Spokesman

Bolaji Tunji, the spokesman to late Abiola Ajimobi said that his principal before his death has no intention to take up any political appointment.

According to the aide of the former governor of Oyo State, his boss had wanted to retire from politics after the 2019 general election but was called to serve as the Deputy National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress, APC, in the South region.

Tunji disclosed this in a post on his social media while paying tribute to his late boss, Ajimobi. He revealed that the deceased had looked into going for a long time rest after completing his eight-year tenure as governor of Oyo State in the previous year.

Tunji stated, “He never wanted anything else after the general election. He only wanted to take a long, due rest after serving for eight years without break. But another position was thrust on him. He never solicited for it and he did not want. But they convinced him to accept.

“I know because, in his usual forthrightness, he narrated how it happened. He took the position because he felt it would benefit his people. ‘I have done my bit. There is nothing I set out to achieve that I did not, I cannot be governor again, but I cannot leave you people’ he would say.”

Speaking on Ajimobi’s illness that finally results to his death, Tunji said the leader took a private flight to Abuja after he was summoned to discuss crisis rocking the ruling party but never returned home the same. The aide revealed that Ajimobi had before his departure to Abuja, signed all the letters of appointment for the peace and reconciliation committee of the APC.

He added, “He had received a call to come to Abuja. It was to discuss party matters. He was not sure of who would follow him. Because it was a private flight, he had limited options. He only went with his security aide. He had told us earlier in our office in his Oluyole home that we would talk about the movement to Abuja since he had become the Deputy National Chairman. Our office had to relocate to Abuja.”

“He was in his usual caftan and cap, always impeccably dressed even at home except when he does his exercise every morning in his blue track down and stripe blue tee-shirt and branded cap.

“He radiated good health and we still marveled that he still looked so good at 70. As he left our wing of the house to the other side, a few of us in our usual manner trailed him. He spoke with a few people in the courtyard before he left to prepare for that trip. I never knew it was going to be the last time I would see him.”

Tunji revealed that his master had always adhered strictly to COVID-19 guidelines including wearing nose masks and usual washing of hands.

“I still can’t wrap my head around what happened. He was so healthy, he was neat, he took all the necessary precautions even while he sat with us in our open office, he was always with his face mask, we always observed social distancing,” said Tunji.

“We were always quick to give him hands sanitizer any time he touched something. We were conscious of his age and did all we could to ensure safety. We had three spots where you had to wash hands before entering the premises. How did it happen? None of us was sick. So where did this come from? I am still trying to find answers.”

In another news, Naija News reported that President Muhammadu Buhari’s led administration has been urged to consider providing soft loans to beneficiaries of the N-Power scheme that will be exiting the programme in a couple of days.