By: Joshua Akerele
“My resolve not to work with him for a 4th term evolved with time due to failure to keep promises. I read the tantrum of the so called faceless G-30,000 and I laughed it off. All the aids (sic) working with the Senator have no PVC in Ondo North. We shall reject him at the poll. It is not my intention to join issues but as long as they write against me going forward, I will always reply them because of public perception.”
The above words were from the latest tirade of former Chairman of Akoko South West local government area of Ondo State and Abuja-based lawyer, Tolu Babaleye, who is now the Director General of the campaign of Chief Alex Ajipe, a senatorial aspirant in Ondo North in the All Progressives Congress, APC.
Balaleye has in the last two weeks engaged in verbal attacks against the Senator representing the district, Prof. Ajayi Boroffice, saying the senator has not performed well in office and should be replaced by Ajipe. Both Babaleye and Boroffice are from the same local government in Akoko while Ajipe is from Owo.
Incidentally, Babaleye served as the campaign DG to Boroffice in 2019 for the Senator’s third term in office. However, less than two years after the election, the lawyer fell out with the Senator on personal differences.
Even though Babaleye has been known as an associate of Boroffice for a very long time and became his campaign DG after the Senator had spent two terms in office, the lawyer now claims that he is disappointed with the performance of the Senator.
One of the most rampant claims of Babaleye against Boroffice is that the Senator has not done any empowerment in the senatorial district. Incidentally, Babaleye had chaired or coordinated a number of such empowerment programmes in recent years for the Senator.
In his latest statement on his fallout with Boroffice, Babaleye wrote that he rejected the invitation to coordinate the distribution of scholarship to 240 students of the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, on behalf of the Senator.
Reproducing the letter of rejection of the role he sent to the Senator, he wrote: “My attention has been drawn to a certain social media publication with respect to the inclusion of my name as a Coordinator for the proposed Scholarship for 240 Ondo State Students in AAUA.
“I really appreciate the fact that you still remember me and decided to include me in the coordination without first discussing it with me and haven not spoken to me for close to one year (except when you called me to commiserate with me on the death of my father), but unfortunately, I won’t be able to participate in the said programme due to my irreconcilable differences with the modus operandi and the timing of the program.”
Despite his rejection of the role, the Senator proceeded to award the scholarship. However, Babaleye, before finding his voice against the Senator, had coordinated the distribution of laptops and other materials to youths in the senatorial district by Boroffice the previous year, as well as empowerment of women the year before that.
Claiming that most of the project embarked upon by the Senator are either abandoned or uncompleted, Babaleye continued: “I am compelled to make this public because of tomorrow as I want our Senatorial District to know that I am not part of what is happening shortchanging them though I played an active role in ensuring your 3rd term victory.”
However, Boroffice, who is the Deputy Leader of the Senate, in a private response sent to Babaleye, which was later made public, wrote: “Tolu, it is not my intention to join you in entertaining the public on social and electronic media.
“I want to remind you that truth is sacred and should not be sacrificed on the altar of politics. You need to know that projects progress as funds are released on priority basis by Government. I wish you the best as you travel this lane which you are used to. I wish you Gods rich blessings.”
In an attempt to confront the backlash that followed his outburst agasint the Senator, Babaleye insisted that his actions are not motivated by personal differences with Boroffice, writing: “Distinguished sir, you know that this is not about my personal empowerment as you are aware that I have NEVER asked you for any obligation and you NEVER did one for me.”
However, in the same statement, the lawyer mentioned the fact that he was not well paid for a case given to him to handle by the Senator, writing: “Recall that even when you gave me a case to handle at Owo, I later returned your file after several efforts and appearances based on the fact that you cannot pay my bill of 3 Million Naira but instead, you insisted on paying me 250k but I rejected it and I have since moved on.”
In a reaction to the outbursts of Babaleye, the National Executives of Ondo North Senatorial District G-30,000 Youth Group led by its President, Comrade Olaniyi Olorunfemi, had declared that the achievements of Boroffice are unprecedented in Ondo North Senatorial District.
The Group said the outburst of Mr. Tolu Babaleye clearly showed he was commissioned to assassinate the character of the Senator Ajayi Boroffice who is the Asiwaju of Akoko Land.
In a communique jointly signed by its president, Olaniyi Olorunfemi and secretary, Modupe Akinyemi, the group said Mr. Tolu Babaleye had chosen to make himself “a virus” to the political peace and stability of Akoko land due to his desperate desire to smile to his banks during every election.
“Senator Ajayi Boroffice is one of the best performing senators in the South West Nigeria in terms of implementation of constituency projects and facilitation of Federal Government Agencies.
“Senator Boroffice has facilitated the construction of National laboratory for Science, Technology and Innovation to the only secondary school in Mr Tolu Babaleye’s ward and the National Atmospheric Centre to Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko.
“It is on record that Senator Ajayi Boroffice has also completed the construction of hospitals in Supare Akoko, Ogbagi Akoko, Oka Akoko which is now F.M.C Owo Annex. The hospital project in Arigidi is presently under construction.
“Meanwhile, Senator Boroffice has completed Multimillion naira Skills Acquisition Centres in Owo, Ifon, Ikaram, Ikare and Oka Akoko. The senator also constructed several ultra modern school classrooms across Ondo North Senatorial District.
“Furthermore, the Senator has facilitated different Federal Government Agencies to Ondo North Senatorial District which includes; National Research Institute for Chemical Technology, Ikare Akoko, Advanced Aerospace Centre, Oka Akoko, National Biotechnology Development Centre, Ebo Iwaro Oka, and National Board of Technology Incubation Oka Akoko among others.
“The truth is that Mr Tolu Babaleye had always worked against the interest of Akoko Land. His plan to blackmail Senator Ajayi Boroffice in order to sell his new paymaster to Akoko People has backfired. He has successfully demarketed and dissociated his new paymaster from Akoko people. We will mobilise and ensure his new paymaster does not get a single vote from all the wards across the four Local Government areas in Akoko Land.”
Written by: Joshua Akerele (A public Affairs Commentator)
